Polish president honors Gov. Quinn, Illinois National Guard
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com May 20, 2012 9:32PM
Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski flew to Downstate Marseilles Sunday to bestow honorary medals from the Polish government on Gov. Pat Quinn, the leader of the Illinois National Guard and 13 National Guard soldiers.
The Polish army has partnered with the Illinois National Guard in Afghanistan and Iraq for years.
Illinois National Guard soldiers have co-deployed with every Polish rotation to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. Prior to deployment, Polish Soldiers travel to Illinois to conduct training at Marseilles Training Center.
Komorowski got perhaps the warmest, heartiest welcome of all 28 heads of state from President Barack Obama as the dignitaries made their one-at-a-time treks across the stage to shake hands with Obama and NATO Secretary-General Anders Rasmussen just before the NATO Summit got underway.
“Good to see you again,” Obama told Komorowski, shaking his hand and patting his back. Obama made a state visit to Poland last year.
With 1 million Polish-Americans, Chicago has the largest concentration of Polish people outside Warsaw.
