Photo By Sgt. Charlie Helmholt | Sgt. Marek Osowski (middle), Polish native, squad leader, and small arms and artillery...... read more read more
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DRAWSKO-POMORSKIE, Poland—“The colonel says he wishes us all the best in the future,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Marek Osowski, translating for Col. Marek Gmurski, Head of Polish Ground Forces Training, during a farewell ceremony here for Company D, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment,173rd Airborne Brigade. “He hopes that he will have the same cooperation that he had with the 173rd with other units.”
Impromptu translation has been just one of the many skills that Osowski, a squad leader in 2nd Bn.’s Company F, has brought to his time in Drawsko-Pomorskie, Poland. Born in Gdansk, Poland, Osowski said he followed the American dream to the U.S. to study banking when he was 24 years old. After trying a variety of different jobs and falling in love with the culture, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. He had been interested in joining the Polish military but decided to enlist in the U.S. so he could gain citizenship, which he did during a ceremony at the end of Basic Combat Training.
“It’s been a great experience to interact with the people [of Poland],” said Osowski. “I’m a little surprised, but grateful that they still accept me as one of their own, despite the different uniform.”
Osowski’s language skills have been well utilized by the “Sky Soldiers” of the 503rd doing combined training with the Polish military. He has helped not only with the ever-present obstacle of communicating clearly with others to complete mission training, but with coordinating day-to-day necessities like food and laundry that affect hundreds of Soldiers if interrupted or neglected.
“You know, I like to make sure all of the small things are going smoothly,” said Osowski, who has forgone his normal role in small arms and artillery repair to facilitate the mission and is constantly answering his mobile phone to put out fires. “Sure, I could just make my Soldiers do it, but I think everything goes a little easier when I’m involved.”
Osowski’s team agrees and says they can see the difference they make.
“I think we make a big impact,” said Spc. Zachary Evans, a light wheel mechanic with Company F who has been working to support 173rd Airborne companies rotating through Poland with Osowski for two months now. “We stay focused and never let anything linger. We get our work done right away.”
Osowski said not all of his efforts have been limited to his unit and training. The U.S., often with Osowski’s assistance, has built bridges with the community through events like soccer games (where Drawsko city officials beat a team of paratroopers during a friendly match) and school visits.
“We actually got to help landscape a preschool, and that was really good,” said Osowski, “We should be doing even more of that kind of thing.”
He also said that he loves how you can find history tucked into every corner of Poland and that the long memories of the Polish people are part of the reason they are glad to see American paratroopers.
“People are not really afraid but they think the current situation is unpredictable and they are glad to see us here,” said Osowski. “We are doing something that wasn’t done before WWII... and I am glad that we are working with NATO to show we will stand together.”
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2014 10:08 |
| Story ID: | 144012 |
| Location: | DRAWSKO POMORSKIE, PL |
| Web Views: | 332 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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