TheAlexJonesChannel — June 21, 2010 — [[ Language no problem for Illinois Guard troops training with Poles ]]

By Seth Robson
Stars and Stripes
Published: September 13, 2007 *****
European edition, Thursday, September 13, 2007 *****

GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Illinois National Guard troops, in Poland for the annual Immediate Response 2007 exercise, have few problems communicating with their Polish counterparts.

According to Capt. Krispa Jekielek, a logistics officer with the Guard, many of the U.S. soldiers exercising in Poland this month are fluent in Polish.

"The unique thing about this is that Poland is our partnership country for the state of Illinois. We have a lot of soldiers in the National Guard who are of Polish descent," she said, adding that many are dual citizens acting as translators during the exercise.

A company-sized task force based around 1st Battalion 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard is part of a contingent of almost 300 U.S. personnel participating in the training.

"I'm trying to find out more about my ancestry while I'm here and learn as much Polish as possible," said Jekielek, whose great-grandfather went to the United States from Poland long before she was born.

U.S. troops in the exercise will have a chance to check out Polish culture during a visit to the small town of Wedrzyn after the training wraps up on Sunday, she said.
http://www.stripes.com/news/language-...