SPRINGFIELD, IL (01/06/2011) (readMedia)– The efforts of the Polish Land Force supporting Operation Enduring Freedom has gained the praise of NATO International Security Assistance Forces and U.S. Forces Afghanistan leaders as the country continues to make progress in the Ghanzi province.
Soldiers with the Illinois Army National Guard the bilateral embedded staff teams (BEST) A7 and Polish Soldiers conduct weapons training at Marseilles Training Center.
“I have been privileged to command coalition efforts in Iraq and, now Afghanistan,” said Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of NATO International Security Assistance Forces and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. “In each case, the Polish forces were very important members of the coalition and demonstrated impressive courage, professional expertise, and commitment.”
Petraeus’ words of praise came to no surprise to the Illinois National Guard, which has operated jointly in a State Partnership Program (SPP) with Poland‘s military since 1993.
For roughly 17 years, Poland and the Illinois National Guard have had a partnership. Maj. Gen. William Enyart of Belleville, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, has worked closely with Polish forces. Enyart has traveled to Poland and met with Polish leaders to assist with joint military mentoring since he was a lieutenant colonel.
“Illinois have served with Polish forces overseas since the start of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Enyart. “They served in Iraq until the end of major combat operations and now play a critical role in International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan.”
“We are serving alongside our Polish brothers-in-arms as equals,” Enyart said.
As countries joined together to assist the 2003 combat operations in Iraq, Poland made history taking part in its first overseas combat deployment.
Petraeus visited Polish Land Forces in Ghanzi, Afghanistan in mid-December and said he was impressed by their operation and progress. The Polish forces have forged strong partnerships with leaders of the Afghan Army and Police in that area, he said.
“Brigadier General Reudowicz and the Polish conventional, special operations and mentoring forces have established superb relationships with their Afghan counterparts,” said Petreaus. “They are carrying out a comprehensive campaign in a very challenging part of Afghanistan.”
Poland joined NATO roughly 12 years ago and its Army has become a voluntary service in October 2009.
A country with a long history outlined in both peace and war, Poland has worked and developed with aid from the U.S. military to the point where its Land Forces are as capable as its U.S. military counterparts.
Soldiers with the Illinois Army National Guard and a Polish Soldier conduct medical response and litter use on a simulated casualty at Marseilles Training Center.
The Polish Land Force was in the transformation process in the earlier 1990s. In 1993, it began the State Partnership Program (SPP) initiating joint training with the Illinois National Guard and the operational relationship with the U.S. military.
The SPP paired states with other countries to create a bilateral way of development for both parties involved, said Capt. Douglas Coop of Jacksonville the director of the SPP for the Illinois National Guard. The program allowed military forces to work together and establish working relationships that would last years as the same officials met time and time again, said Coop.
The partnership between Illinois and Poland was influenced by the large Polish population in Illinois. Chicago is recognized as having the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw with 1.1 million residents of Polish descent.
Illinois assisted with the transformation of the Polish force, said Coop. A significant change was the increased use of the noncommissioned officer corps (NCOs) within Polish forces. They use a structure similar to U.S. forces that allows officers and commanders to focus on the mission and NCOs on the Soldiers and their development, he said.
“(The Polish forces) are no stranger to conflict,” said Coop. “Because of our relationship and our co-deployments we have been exposed to more ideas and different ways of doing things in all aspects of the military. With these new ideas the Polish forces were able to strengthen areas within their organization.”
Within recent years the Illinois Army National Guard has embedded teams of Soldiers into the deploying Polish forces. The bilateral embedded staff teams (BEST) are comprised of Soldiers with various military specialties and conduct operations with their Polish counterparts. The BEST train with Polish units for deployments in support of operations in Afghanistan.
“Just as General Petraeus I’m proud to have worked with the Polish forces during the years,” said Enyart. “Our Polish brothers have served with us to help achieve peace in the war torn areas of the world.”