Timberwolf team, Schmidmühlen leadership reflect on longstanding partnership

SCHMIDMÜHLEN, Germany - In a show of friendship, the Timberwolf team of the Joint Multinational Readiness Center presented the mayor of Markt Schmidmühlen a plaque Jan. 28, 2026 at the town hall as a token of appreciation for the team's and community's longstanding partnership.

Peter Braun, Schmidmühlen's mayor, likewise presented Lt. Col. James R. Siebert, commander of the Timberwolves, a Bavarian baseball cap.

"We enjoy the relationship, and obviously the partnership of our team with mayors like yourself," said Siebert. "It makes us comfortable and makes it feel like a second home."

The Timberwolf team took the opportunity to thank Braun, who decided not to run for reelection and whose tenure as mayor thus ends this year.

Braun expressed his wish that the Soldiers of the Timberwolf team would be able to visit the town during the upcoming Kinderfest.

After chatting in the mayor's office, Braun led the group on a tour of the historic Rathaus building, showing the Soldiers models of the town and St. Georg Church, some historic outfits in the frescoed upper floors of the building.

"The partnership has been resolute for many years between our team and the community," said Siebert. "We had a number of Timberwolves on our team live in the community itself. I think the mayor has just done a great job of offering us a home away from home."

"The relationship that Schmidmühlen and the Timberwolves have built have made it really easy to make everyone feel like you're part of the community," said Master Sgt. William R. Piwowarski, Timberwolves scout platoon observer-controller / trainer.

Lt. Col. Andrew J. Heath, the executive officer for the Timberwolf team, has lived in Schmidmühlen for a year and half.

"You can tell this is a tight-knit community and people look out for one another," he said. "I see every neighbor helping every other neighbor out."

Heath added that the Schmidmühlen community has further welcomed new neighbors and helped others as American military life naturally transitioned new community members and others out every few years.