The 10th Armored Cavalry Brigade (10BKPanc) received a special guest. He was a nearly six-year-old resident of Kamienna Góra Dawid Biroś. The boy, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, decided to become a soldier, so he very much wanted to visit a military unit. This became possible thanks to the Mam Marzenie Foundation.
The Świętoszów brigade is not cooperating with the Kraków-based foundation for the first time. For 11 years, the foundation has been fulfilling the dreams of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. In 2007, 10BKPanc, together with volunteers from the Mam Marzenie Foundation, fulfilled the dreams of Krzyś, who wanted to become a soldier and ride in a tank. Dawid’s dream was similar; he visited the brigade on April 24 this year.
The boy’s visit began with a weapons demonstration by the reconnaissance company. Unfortunately, Dawid’s first encounter with the scouts ended in tears. The sight of burly soldiers armed with huge rifles frightened him so much that fulfilling his dream briefly hung in the balance. It helped when he was assured that even his father’s legs had trembled when he saw such an unusual welcoming committee. Assured that “anyone would have been scared,” the boy calmed down somewhat and continued the tour.
In the intimate atmosphere of Śnieżnik, the special guest calmed down completely and, taking a seat at the successive firing positions, surrendered to his dreams. The demonstration organized by soldiers of the 1st Tank Battalion delighted not only Dawid but also his parents and the foundation volunteer accompanying them. The exchange of fire shown on the screen, helicopters flying overhead, burning enemy tanks and the shouts of soldiers conducting the barrage simulated a battlefield very realistically. Dawid watched the scene with bated breath.
A few minutes later, while looking at the vehicles and combat vehicles presented by the 2nd Tank Battalion, he no longer felt any fear or embarrassment. Only then could it be seen that this five-year-old youngster was a small but genuine fan of the military and military equipment. He carefully examined all the equipment presented by the armored soldiers, discovering every hatch and access panel. Wherever he could not climb in by himself, he asked to be lifted. He was not afraid to ask questions, and he felt at home in the combat vehicles. “Mum!” he called from inside the technical support vehicle. “You may not believe it, but it’s really great here. I’m managing. And there are benches here just like in our park.”
After looking at the Leopard tank, Dawid—to everyone’s surprise—decided to return once more to the soldiers of the reconnaissance company. Facing his fear did not come easily, but curiosity prevailed. The smiles on the soldiers’ faces also played a part; they appreciated Dawid’s courage and praised his enthusiasm and inquisitiveness.
Despite already showing signs of fatigue, Dawid had not had enough of the excitement. He wanted to know so many more things. “Which tank is indestructible? Where do soldiers shoot?” he asked, coming up with more and more questions. He also wanted to see where the armored soldiers trained their fitness. The Physical Fitness Center, although it had not been a planned stop on the tour, made a strong impression on the boy.
The visit ended with a meeting with the commander of 10BKPanc, acting Colonel Dariusz Nawrocki, who presented the young guest with a tanker’s beret and a brigade friend diploma, and then allowed him to… command the unit for a moment. Dawid ordered something to drink from the adjutant and made one slightly accidental telephone call. He settled comfortably into the armchair and talked with the commander for a while. A large package of military toys from the Mam Marzenie Foundation was a wonderful conclusion to the day.
“It was a great pleasure to host you in our ranks,” the brigade commander said goodbye. “I hope your dream came true. I wish you would become a soldier in the future, just as you desire. We need brave and intelligent people here in the brigade, so we invite you to join us when you are older.”
“May your dreams come true, little Dawid!” soldiers and supporters of 10BKPanc wrote on the brigade fan page. “You can do it. Dreams come true. You only have to believe in them.”
(information: Katarzyna Przepióra/ii)