Illinois Air National Guard visits Polish Air Base

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Shane P. Hill
  • 182 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
33 AIR BASE, Poland --  Members of the 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria, IL. arrived at the Polish base June 18, as part of the Illinois Air National Guard's role in the State Partnership Program.

The visit is part of a continual endeavor by National Guard Units and European military forces to facilitate information exchange and familiarization. The arrival of the 182nd began a week long mission to assist the Polish Air Force in standing up their new C-130 mission.

"We are really glad to have you here. To have the opportunity to ask you questions," said Polish Lt. Col. Mitzcystaw Gaudyn,14 Airlift Squadron Commander, during his initial introductions to the Guardsmen.

The Polish Air Force received its first C-130 E model in March. They are scheduled to receive 4 additional E models by summer of 2010. The Polish Air Force began preparing and training personnel in 2007 to create the squadron.

"Creation of the squadron is a process," said Gaudyn. "The first purpose is to give supplies to troops, such as in Afghanistan."

In standing up their C-130 mission, the Polish Air Force would like to begin flying NATO missions to deployed locations by fall 2009.

"Ultimately they want to deploy C-130s to the NATO mission in Afghanistan," said Col. Cory Reid, 182nd Mission Support Group Commander, who helped liaise the mission to Poland. "Our mission is the help assist them to become fully operational to NATO standards."

Members of the 182d Airlift Wing are touring facilities and exchanging information with their Polish counterparts through task demonstration, document sharing and hands on experiences.

"Peoria brings experience and the knowledge of the C-130 aircraft system that is new to the Polish Air Force who have a limited experience with the C-130," said Chief Tom Hergenrother, command chief of the 183rd Fighter Wing.

Hergenrother has worked in numerous missions to assist Polish and American military exchanges, and thus was deployed to help coordinate resources and information sharing. He described the event as enriching experience for both countries.

The 182nd has been continuously involved during the Polish Air Force's acquisition of the C-130 because Poland is the Illinois National Guard's sister unit in the State Partnership Program that began in 1993. The purpose of the State Partnership Program is to link the National Guard states and territories with partner countries to foster mutual interests and establish long-term relationships across all levels of society.

The State Partnership Program with Poland was one of the first three State Partnership Program relationships initiated between the National Guard and the former Soviet Eastern Block countries.