POWIDZ AIR BASE, Poland – The 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, deployed to Poland Sept. 8-26, 2025, to support Hussar Saber 25-4, a critical bilateral training exercise designed to build capacity and ensure deterrence on NATO's Eastern flank. The exercise, held at the Polish Air Force's 33rd Air Transport Base, tested the 182nd Airlift Wing’s ability to seamlessly integrate with Polish counterparts and U.S. active-duty forces, sharpening skills vital for collective defense. “The biggest thing that we're here for from my perspective is to just build the relationships and ensure joint interoperability," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Justin Childers, the commander of the 182nd Operations Support Squadron and detachment commander during the exercise. Hussar Saber, named in honor of the elite Polish winged heavy cavalry, was hosted by the 52nd Operations Group, Detachment 1. The location's strategic importance is paramount, and as such it is the first permanent, persistent operational U.S. presence in Poland since 2012. "Poland's geographical position here in central Europe is significant specifically because we are on the border of the largest land war to occur on the European continent since the end of World War II," said Lt. Col. Pete Namyslowski, the commander of the 52nd Operations Group, Detachment 1. "Our physical presence here in Poland is an absolute strategic touchdown for the joint force when it comes to executing and operationalizing air component strategy within the theater." Airmen and three C-130H Hercules, assigned to the 182nd Airlift Wing, trained alongside C-130J Super Hercules from the 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany and integrated with the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, as well as numerous support assets. Childers further highlighted the valuable, unique training gained, stating, "We were also able to employ free-fall airdrops with hay bales at 100 feet, simulating a low-cost, low-altitude resupply… It was a lot of the crews’ that we brought first time doing that, and not something that we often get to do at home." The exercise provided essential readiness training, including using the base's grass landing zone for unimproved landing operations; practicing navigation without GPS; flying an integrated mission sortie featuring dissimilar air combat integration, with Polish F-16s acting as escorts and French Rafale fighter aircraft playing the role of opposition forces; participating in and winning a landing zone competition; and, finishing second overall in an aviation readiness rodeo. The aviation training was possible due to the team achieving zero maintenance cancellations. Airmen from the 182nd Maintenance Group directly collaborated with Polish counterparts to troubleshoot local engine issues, enhancing collective expertise. "[Hussar Saber] makes me do my job better because I can understand what [aircrew] go through on a day-to-day basis and things to help make their training and the mission more successful for them," said Senior Airman Austin Feretsky, a crew chief with the 182nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The 182nd Airlift Wing’s participation in Hussar Saber holds special significance due to the long-standing partnership between Illinois and Poland via the National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. "You can't surge trust," Namyslowski said. "Thanks to the State Partnership Program and our frequent flyers from Peoria, the Polish have the ability to see the same partners year in, year out." The successful completion of Hussar Saber 25-4 validates the 182nd Airlift Wing’s readiness and reaffirms U.S. commitment to regional stability. The partnership's core message endures: "Razem Silniejsi"—Stronger Together.