Task Force Pegasus Troopers trains Polish cadets on how to respond to call while Sgt. Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp at the National Forest Service's Jana Windi Marksmanship Training Center, near Tuchola, Poland, Oct. 7, 2024. The camp honors the legacy of Sgt. Ulysses, an American soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013 to save a Polish soldier, promotes leadership and resilience in young participants.
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US Army Sgt. 1st Class Shaojong Heard, a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials specialist, is a corporal in the U.S. Army. Ryan Lemon, an RQ-7 unmanned aircraft systems repairman, both assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, teaches Polish students how to conduct tactical combat casualty care while Sgt. Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp at the National Forest Service's Jana Windy Marksmanship Training Center, near Tochola, Poland, Oct. 8, 2024. The camp honors the legacy of Sgt. Ulysses, an American soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013 to save a Polish soldier, promotes leadership and resilience in young participants.
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TUCHULA, Poland – Task Force Pegasus Troopers has partnered with Polish instructors to train rookie staff sergeants. The Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp takes place October 7-10 at the Jana Windy Archery Training Center in Tuchola, Poland. The camp is named after the fallen US Army Sergeant. Michael Olis focused on leadership, resilience and basic military skills for Polish teenagers aged 14-17 years.
The troops, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade (1ACB), operated alongside former and current Polish Army soldiers, members of the Polish Territorial Defense Forces, the French Foreign Legion, and Polish police officers. Together, they guided the students through basic military tasks, including responding to call, moving under fire, handling weapons safely, providing first aid on the battlefield, and applying basic self-defense techniques.
The students also learned basic survival skills, such as building shelters, managing land navigation, and – as a highlight of the camp – shooting the standard service weapon of the Polish Army, the FB MSBS “Grot” rifle.
Task Force Pegasus Troopers trains Polish cadets in room cleaning techniques while Sgt. Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp at the National Forest Service's Jana Windy Marksmanship Training Center, near Tochola, Poland, Oct. 9, 2024. The camp honors the legacy of Sgt. Ulysses, an American soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013 to save a Polish soldier, promotes leadership and resilience in young participants.
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US Army Sgt. Demetrius Edwards (back), a paralegal specialist assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, demonstrates how to clear a room of enemies while Sgt. Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp at the National Forest Service's Jana Windi Marksmanship Training Center, near Tuchola, Poland, Oct. 8, 2024. The camp honors the legacy of Sgt. Ulysses, an American soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013 to save a Polish soldier, promotes leadership and resilience in young participants.
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“The opportunity to train with U.S. Army Soldiers is great,” said Cadet Sgt. Mark Tracz-Trynecki, Polish Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet. “My dream is to join the US Army, so I’m having a lot of fun here.”
The hands-on training prepared students for potential future service while promoting personal growth through leadership and resilience. It also showcased how American and Polish military traditions blend together to achieve common goals.
This camp strengthened the long-standing military partnership between the United States and Poland, and honored the legacy of Sgt. Alice while promoting international cooperation.
US Army Sgt. 1st Class Shaojong Hurd, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials specialist assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade (right), discusses training plans with a Polish soldier while Sgt. Michael Ollis Junior Training Camp at the National Forest Service's Jana Windy Marksmanship Training Center, near Tochola, Poland, Oct. 8, 2024. The camp honors the legacy of Sgt. Ulysses, an American soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan in 2013 to save a Polish soldier, promotes leadership and resilience in young participants.
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“We do this to build relationships with our allies,” said Sgt. Demetrius Edwards, a paralegal specialist with 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. “It is important to instill discipline in Polish students. If we teach them how to be in the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform, they will succeed.
Sgt. Michael Ollis, a native of Staten Island, New York, was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), out of Fort Drum, New York. On August 28, 2013, Ulysses made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting Polish Army Lieutenant Karol Sierpecka during an insurgent attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. Ulysses protected Cierpica from a suicide bomber, saving the Polish officer's life. For his selfless actions, Ulysses was posthumously awarded the United States Distinguished Service Cross and the Polish Armed Forces Gold Medal, an honor reserved for foreign soldiers who have rendered exceptional service to Poland.
“I believe this training is a very honorable way to remember Sgt. Michael Ollis’s sacrifice, and I am proud to wear his name on our school patch,” Trach-Trenicki said.
Ulysses' legacy continues to resonate on both sides of the Atlantic. Fort Drum rededicated a weapons training center in his honor, and Camp Kosciuszko in Poland named its dining facility after him. Ulysses was also inducted into the 10th Mountain (Light) Division's Legendary Warriors Hall of Fame, and a Staten Island ferry was named in his honor. Author Tom Celio wrote a biography called I Have Your Back to inspire readers with the heroic story of Ulysses.
Learn more about the 1st Cavalry Battalion's mission in Europe
