Normal-based Illinois National Guard brigade takes lead in Poland exercise

Posted on December 6, 2015

*Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges held a conference call with reporters from his base in Germany. (Photo courtesy Illinois National Guard)*

By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network

GERMANY – That “two weeks a year” part of a National Guard commitment can include a trip to Europe.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the U.S. Army commander there, said many Illinoisans are taking part.

“Instead of going to, say, Camp Atterbury in Indiana, the unit comes over to Europe and meets its annual training requirement … in, frankly, a more realistic environment, because they’re with allies from (up to) six other countries,” Hodges said.

For one thing, there’s Exercise Anaconda, a biennial event in which Poland demonstrates its deterrence against Russia.

“We’ll have almost 500 soldiers from Illinois – engineers, chemical, and signal units from Chicago, Macomb, and Riverside,” Hodges said. “We’ll also have soldiers from Urbana participate in an exercise in the Baltic region.”

The National Guard said the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based at Heartland Community College in Normal will be taking a leading role in the Anaconda exercise in Poland.

Hodges spoke from his base in Germany on a conference call with Illinois reporters.

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