SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A homecoming for the holidays.
Six soldiers who were deployed to Afghanistan in May returned home in time to spend Christmas with their families.
The soldiers are from several communities in central Illinois, two from Morton and Pekin.
The soldiers were part of the Bilateral Embedded Staff Team (BEST) A23.
The mission was to assist with the planning of the integration of an additional Polish Special Operations Team in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
According to Lt. Col. Michael Legler of Pekin, Commander of BEST A23, the integration will increase the Polish presence in Afghanistan by nearly 15%. BEST A23 also performed upgrades to counter-IED equipment for Polish Security platoons, increasing survivability.
“Our team also supported the planning and execution of security for high level meetings between the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan and Ambassadors of the United States and Great Britain at Bagram Airfield,” Legler said. “In addition, we developed contingency plans for future missions to ensure the smooth and successful transitions in support of the Resolute Support Commanders intent.”
During deployment, the BEST A23 members assisted Polish soldiers with more than 200 combat and security missions, and many Train, Advise, and Assist operations.
“We’ve actually put Illinois National Guard soldiers with every rotation the Polish have sent to both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003,” he said.
“Our rotation was the 23rd rotation in Afghanistan and there were, I think, half a dozen rotations over in Iraq prior to that, before they shifted theater.”
Legler said even though the deployment time was scheduled to put the soldiers back home for the holidays, it was no guarantee.
“It was going to be pretty close. Even once we started the movement back, it wasn’t for sure we would make it back in time, and all of it was dependent on everything falling into place for us,” he said.
That said, he was glad it happened.
“It’s always exciting to go over and put to use the skills you train on for so long, but to be back here with family again after that separation, you know, there’s no replacement for that.”
