MARSEILLES, Illinois – Polish Army Col. Edward Chyla, the Commander of the Polish Territorial Defense Force Training Center, presented the bronze Polish Armed Forces Medal to a Jackson County emergency management technician, an Illinois State Trooper from Mahomet, an East Dundee electric worker, and a readiness noncommissioned officer from Tinley Park on March 25 at the Illinois Army National Guard’s Marseilles Training Center.
The Polish Armed Forces Medal is approved by the Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak. The Illinois National Guard Soldiers received the medal for their excellent work last May and June with Polish Training Center Soldiers training Polish Territorial Defense Force Soldiers in Poland on mass casualty response and emergency medical care, use of the Javelin anti-tank system, and in sniper operations. Many of the Polish trainers have helped train Ukrainian Soldiers as they fight off the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Receiving the Polish Armed Forces Medal were:
Illinois Army National Guard Capt. Drew Weaver of Mahomet, the Commander of A Troop, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment based in Pontiac. Weaver is an Illinois State Police Trooper in his civilian life. He served as the sniper officer-in-charge of the training team last year.
Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. Elizabeth Hernandez of Murphysboro, a senior medic for the headquarters of the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment based in Marion and a Jackson County emergency medical technician in her civilian life. Hernandez helped train Polish Soldiers in mass casualty response and emergency medical care last year.
Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. Albert Herda of East Dundee, an electrical worker for RPM Building Solutions of Crystal Lake, Illinois, in his civilian life and a medic for the headquarters of the 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment based in Marion in the military. Herda also helped train Polish Soldiers in mass casualty response and emergency medical care last year.
Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Paul Herrick of Tinley Park, the full-time readiness noncommisioned officer for the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment based in the General Richard L. Jones Armory on Chicago’s South Side. Herrick is also a reconnaissance platoon sergeant in the 1-178th Infantry and assisted the Polish in the Infantry training.
Col. Chyla said that he recommended the Soldiers for the Polish medals, and they were approved by Defense Minister Błaszczak “in recognition of outstanding efforts and cooperation between the Polish Armed Forces and the United States.”
Prior to presenting the medals, Col. Chyla and his team conducted marksmanship training and observed U.S. Army range operations with Illinois Army National Guard 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers at Marseilles. Later that evening, they attended a Gold Star Mission banquet in Springfield. The nonprofit Gold Star Mission conducts events throughout the year and presents college scholarships to high school students. Its mission is to keep the memory of Illinois’ fallen service members alive. Several Polish Soldiers traveled to Illinois last year to participate in the organization’s annual Gold Star 500 bicycle ride.
The Polish Territorial Defense Soldiers are conducting training exchanges throughout Illinois with the Illinois National Guard this week.
