Meet the Polish Military Contingent of Sigonella

Story by MC1 Kegan Kay, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Whether you are shopping at the commissary or Navy Exchange, staying at Navy Gateway Inns and Suites, or waiting in line at the galley, you may be surprised by a number of Polish troops walking around our community. You may think to yourself, “Oh they must be assigned to NATO AGS,” but the fact of the matter is that they are a standalone Polish Military Contingent (PMC).

NAS Sigonella plays the ever important role of nurturing the American-Polish relationship by supporting the detachment with our base services.

The American-Polish relationship actually dates back to the American Revolutionary War. Two renowned Polish fighters, Tadeusz Kościuszko and Kazimierz Pułaski, aided America against the British during the American Revolution.

Kościuszko was an army officer and military engineer who was assigned to the army of Gen. Horatio Gates at Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York. His strategic mindset aided the Americans in fortifying strategic points such as Philadelphia and later the Hudson River, which contributed to the victory at Saratoga.

Kościuszko went back to Poland to help his home country seeking partition and led Polish forces against the 1792 invasion of Catherine the Great’s Russian armies. He was ultimately wounded and taken prisoner, but at the death of Catherine the Great in 1796, he was pardoned by her successor and immigrated to the United States.

Pułaski was a Polish nobleman, solider and military commander. After being exiled from Poland, Pułaski came to the United States with a letter of recommendation from Benjamin Franklin to George Washington. In September 1777, he saved George Washington’s life during the battle of Brandywine River.

In a letter to George Washington, Pułaski said, “I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.”

Due to his renowned courage in battle, Congress appointed him commander of Light Dragoons with the rank of Major General. In a year’s time, Pułaski transformed four regiments to become the most powerful cavalry formation in the Revolution War. On October 9, 1779, he led the cavalry against the British in their planned invasion of Charleston, but during the attack he was wounded by grapeshot. Pułaski died on October 11 aboard a ship transporting him to a hospital in Charleston. He was the only foreign general to be killed in action during the war.

Today, the legacy of this relationship continues with our support to the PMC onboard NAS Sigonella. The contingent’s mission is to help support the European Union Navy Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFORMED) Operation IRINI, whose primary task is the implementation of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

The PMC was first established in January 2018 to Sigonella from the 44th Naval Aviation Base in Siemirowice, Poland.

The second shift of the PMC for IRINI arrived at Naval Air Station Sigonella in late May and underwent the two-week quarantine restriction of movement process as part of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus procedures and are scheduled to stay until December.

One standout soldier of the Polish Contingent is “Jay Jay,” or JJ, who serves as the contingent’s liaison officer and handles logistics such as accommodation, meals and transportation.

“The core of our contingent constitutes of Naval Aviation Brigade from Gdynia and logistic sub-unit based on 10th Logistic Brigade from Opole,” said JJ.

To assist with EUNAVFORMED mission, the PMC uses the M28B 1R “Bryza” patrol and reconnaissance plane to conduct missions over the sea.

“We have all the necessary staff to function as a military unit abroad,” said JJ about the contingent, which includes a public affairs officer, legal officer and even a priest.

With the restrictions in place due to coronavirus, the contingent focuses on their physical fitness during their downtime.

Members from the contingent can often be see around base participating in social distanced group fitness activities such as the color run at the Red, White and Boom festival hosted by NAS Sigonella’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation on July 4th.

“When you see us around, feel free to come over and say hi or exchange flags or patches if you wish,” invited JJ.