embassy events 2009

Illinois Air National Guard visits Polish Air Base to assist C-130 mission

24 June 2009

Illinois Air National Guard visits Polish Air Base to assist C-130 mission (photo gallery)

The Illinois National Guard continued its ongoing, robust cooperation with the Polish military with the June 16-24 visit by members of the 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria, IL. The group arrived Thursday at the 33rd Air Base in Powidz, as part of the Illinois Air National Guard’s role in the Illinois State Partnership Program. The visit is part of a continual endeavor by National Guard Units and Eastern European Military Forces to create information exchange and familiarization with western based assets.  The arrival of the 182nd marked the beginning of a week long diplomatic mission to help the Polish Air Force’s efforts to assist standing up the new C-130 mission. Lt. Col. Mieczysław Gaudyn,14 Airlift Squadron Commander told the visiting National Guardsmen, “We are really glad to have you here. To have the opportunity to ask you questions… Creation of the [Polish C-130) squadron is a process. The first purpose is to give supplies to troops, such as in Afghanistan.” Since spring 2009, over 100 members of the Illinois National Guard have visited Poland for various exercises and trainings. To see the photo gallery please click here.

The Polish Air Force received its first C-130 E model in March 2009. They are slated to receive 4 additional E models by summer of 2010. To begin creating the squadron, the Polish Air Force began preparing and training personnel in 2007. 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.” Chief Tom Hergenrother, Command Chief of the 183rd Fighter Wing added, “Here we have a military to military program that brings experience and knowledge to the Polish Military. 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.”  Hergenrother has worked in numerous missions to assist Polish and American military exchanges, and was deployed to help coordinate resources and information sharing, classified the event as enriching experience to our NATO relationship, as well. To read more, please click here. For the recent visit of Polis military to Illinois, please click here.