On Friday, 28 May, a ceremony was held in Bolesławiec Market Square to welcome the soldiers who had returned from a mission in Afghanistan. The ceremony was attended by: county head Cezary Przybylski, deputy county head Stanisław Chwojnicki, Mayor of Bolesławiec Piotr Roman, deputy mayor Maciej Małkowski, Chair of the City Council Janina Urszula Piestrak-Babijczuk, councillor Jan Jasiukiewicz, former commander of the 62nd Special Company Edward Mroczek, chaplain of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade Sławomir Szelągowski, deputy commander of the Bolesławiec County State Fire Service Robert Brzeziński, Municipal Guard commander Emil Zając and Mayor of Pirna Klaus-Peter Hanke.
Colonel Jarosław Kraszewski, commander of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade, addressed the attendees. “More than half a century has passed since Polish soldiers first took part in an international peacekeeping mission in Korea,” he said. “Since then, thousands of soldiers in Polish uniforms have served, and continue to serve, under the flags of the UN and NATO, earning respect and recognition throughout the world.”
That day, the Brigade commander presented his soldiers with commendation letters “for exemplary military conduct and worthy representation of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade while carrying out duties outside the country.” Ten artillerymen received them: Capt. Stanisław Grzybowski, Capt. Mariusz Pyżyk, Lt. Jacek Janik, 2nd Lt. Michał Parzewski, Lt. Przemysław Grzegorek, Warrant Officer Przemysław Lachowski, Staff Warrant Officer Rafał Frankiewicz, Warrant Officer Paweł Łazowski, Junior Warrant Officer Jarosław Frąk and Sergeant Jacek Hytnar.
“Most of us had been to Afghanistan for the first time,” Captain Grzybowski said during the ceremony. “We were accompanied throughout by a sense of danger, responsibility and stress. But above all, we were accompanied by longing, which never left us. Yet it was precisely that longing that gave us strength, helped us persevere and meant that today we are once again with our loved ones.”
The ceremony concluded with a parade by the subunits.
The Fire Support Group commanders – Stanisław Grzybowski and Mariusz Pyżyk – brought the Brigade’s and the city’s flags to Bolesławiec. They had accompanied the soldiers during the mission. However, neither symbol will remain in the Bolesławiec garrison for long; in October, more artillerymen will leave for Afghanistan.
Soldiers of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade have served for years as part of Polish Military Contingents. In 2008, for the first time in its history, the Brigade prepared and assigned an infantry company to the XXX rotation of the Polish Military Contingent in Syria. The soldiers’ task was to monitor the separation zone established by the UN. The company was commanded by Maj. Zdzisław Jacewicz. In 2008, the Brigade also assigned and prepared a Fire Support Group to participate in the fourth rotation of the Polish Military Contingent in Afghanistan. The artillerymen’s task was to protect base commands. At that time, the group was commanded by Maj. Dariusz Łomański.
(23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade information/ii)
