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US, Polish Partners Strengthen Interoperability, Modernization
March 10, 2025
U.S. and Polish military personnel gather at 1 Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego (1st Airlift Base) in Warsaw, Poland, highlighting continued collaboration in enhancing NATO interoperability. The Illinois National Guard and Poland have been partners in the State Partnership Program since its inception in 1993.
Illinois National Guard, Partners Train in Cyber Exercise
July 25, 2024
More than 50 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, along with civilians from the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology and the Illinois State Board of Elections, returned recently from a major cyber training exercise sponsored by the National Guard Bureau. Close to 1,000 military and civilian local, state and federal cyber experts from 41 states and territories and 13 international partners participated in Cyber Shield 2024 May 31 to June 15 at the Virginia National Guard State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, Va.
Maryland Air Guard, Estonian Partners Focus on Cyber Defense
October 18, 2023
The Maryland Air National Guard partnered with Estonia’s Cyber Command to host exercise Baltic Blitz 23 Sept. 17-20, 2023, at Ämari Air Base, Harijumaa, Estonia. About 30 Airmen from the 175th Wing, two soldiers from the Illinois Army National Guard, 12 service members from Poland, and 30 Estonians participated in the cyber exercise.
Maryland Guard, Estonian Partners Focus on Cyber Defense
September 21, 2023
The Maryland Air National Guard partnered with Estonia’s Cyber Command to host exercise Baltic Blitz 23 from Sept. 17-20, 2023, at Ämari Air Base, Harijumaa, Estonia. About 30 Airmen from the 175th Wing, two Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers, 12 service members from Poland, and 30 Estonians participated in the exercise to secure simulated rail transportation systems from cyber attacks.
Illinois Guard Soldiers Receive Polish Armed Forces Medal
March 27, 2023
Illinois Army National Guard Capt. Drew Weaver discusses the firing of the M-4 with Maj. Andrew Majcherek of the Polish Territorial Defense Force on the range at the Illinois Army National Guard's Marseilles Training Area. Weaver was one of four Illinois National Guard Soldiers awarded the bronze Polish Armed Forces Medal on March 25, 2023, for their work training Polish Territorial Defense Force Soldiers in Poland in May and June 2022.
Illinois National Guard, Polish Partners Remember the Fallen
September 27, 2022
Maj. Gen. Rich Neely, the adjutant general of Illinois and commander of the Illinois National Guard; Polish Gen. Cezary Wisniewski, deputy commander of the Polish Armed Forces, and Neely's spouse, Tammy, cheer on Gold Star 500 bicycle riders near North Chicago, Illinois, as they finish a 520-mile ride to raise awareness of the approximately 300 Illinois service members, including 34 in the Illinois National Guard, who have fallen since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Illinois and Poland are partners under the State Partnership Program.
Illinois Guard Boosts Interoperability for V Corps, Polish Army
June 1, 2022
Soldiers of the 224th Digital Liaison Detachment of the Illinois National Guard stand in formation in Krakow, Poland, May 25, 2022. The 244th provided a valuable information bridge between V Corps and the Polish army during the DEFENDER-Europe 22 exercise.
Swamp Fox maintenance hosts Bulgarian air force officers
March 18, 2022
Staff Sgt. Michael Fisher, aircraft structural maintenance craftsman with the 169th Maintenance Squadron, South Carolina Air National Guard, demonstrates an industrial tube bender to Bulgarian air force officers at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina March 5, 2022. Bulgaria, a NATO partner and partner with the Tennessee National Guard under the State Partnership Program, is scheduled to receive F-16 fighter jets. South Carolina assisted with the SPP engagement by hosting maintenance officers from the Bulgarian air force.
Polish Land Forces attend Idaho National Guard tank training
November 24, 2021
Polish soldiers attended Idaho National Guard M1 Abrams tank training in October and November to observe best practices as Polish Land Forces seek to develop their own training capability.
Michigan, Latvia strengthen partnership in virtual workshop
April 2, 2021
The Michigan National Guard and Latvia strengthened their partnership under the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program with a virtual workshop March 15-19, 2021. U.S. military public affairs professionals from Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey and Washington joined with counterparts from the Republic of Latvia to sharpen their skills as media content creators.