<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div>Courtesy of the Army Times.</div><div><div><br></div><div>-------------------------------------</div><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; line-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; line-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Polish officer names son after staff sergeant who saved him</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis had Karol Cierpica's back, and ultimately died saving him.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now Cierpica's newborn son, born Jan. 11, has the late soldier's name — along with a mandate to keep his memory alive.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cierpica, a Polish army lieutenant, survived a massive insurgent assault at Forward Operating Base Ghazni in Afghanistan in 2013 thanks to the actions of Ollis, who received a posthumous Silver Star for his actions.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ollis, a Staten Island, New York, native who served with the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light) out of Fort Drum, New York, also received the Army Gold Medal from Poland, the highest honor a foreign soldier can receive from the NATO ally.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We were quite honored. We were very happy for them, but we were also very happy that they honored Michael in such a way," Ollis' father Robert told Army Times.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was just one of many gestures as the two families have become close. Before Michael Cierpica was born or named, the Ollis family sent a teddy bear to Poland — one made using Ollis' combat uniform by the Matthew Freeman Project, a not-for-profit charitable organization.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ollis' parents have met Cierpica twice, and they said they are working to arrange for him to visit New York, this time in November to run in the New York City Marathon along with their two daughters.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We are very excited to get him here. We want to see the baby," Robert Ollis said. "When he comes to Staten Island he will be very, very welcome. There are a lot of people who would love to meet him."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The first time they met, Robert Ollis said, had been particularly — and predictably — emotional and difficult. He said Cierpica was visibly nervous and unsure how the Ollis family would react at the award ceremony at the Polish consulate in New York. Michael Ollis' parents embraced him and told him how much they respected him.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The second time, in Poland, Robert Ollis said was a more relaxed and comfortable visit. There's somewhat of a language barrier, but he said they shared coffee, told some stories and even managed to laugh a little.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They remember Michael Ollis, who was 24 when he saved Cierpica — a man he didn't know — on a fateful August day.</span></div><div><span style="font-weight: 700; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: 700; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The attack</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The attack started in the dead of the night, at 3:54 a.m. on Aug. 28, 2013. A 3,000-pound car bomb blew a hole in the eastern wall of FOB Ghazni. Insurgents fired mortar shells, shoulder-fired rockets and hand grenades into the base.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">About 10 suicide bombers breached the post. Ollis, Cierpica and a team of Special Forces troops killed eight of them; a ninth was gunned down after he threw a grenade.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ollis and Cierpica fired at the attackers, back to back, according to Cierpica.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was the 10th bomber that would prove deadly. He emerged from behind some containers; Ollis stepped toward the insurgent, blocking Cierpica. The attacker's vest detonated, killing Ollis.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A Polish soldier died in the attack. Ten Poles, including Cierpica, and dozens of Afghans were wounded.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But Ollis stepping up to face a threat head-on was credited with saving Cierpica's life.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cierpica, for his part, earned a Bronze Star for valor, as did U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Lester Edwards, Sgt. 1st Class Nate Abkemeier and Staff Sgt. DaRelle LaMarque.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Two Afghan soldiers were honored for rendering safe a second car bomb near the base.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"His story just shows you the character of my son, who always thought of the next guy and never really about himself," Robert Ollis said.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While nothing can bring their son back, the Ollis family said the fact that his name will live on provides a certain level comfort, as does the relationship they've forged with the Cierpicas.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I think the relationship helps in a way because we know Michael isn't forgotten. So it helps us heal, actually," Micheal's mother Linda said.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">--------------------</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span class="cutline js-caption" style="display: block; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lt. Karol Cierpica and his son Michael from Poland.</span></span><span class="credit" style="font-style: italic; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(Photo: Photo courtesy of Ollis family)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img src="cid:01CAE7A2-9555-4473-9FF7-BD1F30D2848E" alt="image1.jpeg" id="01CAE7A2-9555-4473-9FF7-BD1F30D2848E"></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/Army_Times_020915_01.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/Army_Times_020915_01.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">--------------------</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Newborn baby Michael Cierpica lies with a teddy bear made from the Army fatigues of Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, the soldier from New Dorp who sacrificed his life saving the infant's father during an attack in Afghanistan. <span class="credit" style="font-style: italic;">(Photo: Photo courtesy of Ollis family)</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img src="cid:20E2E897-D6AD-46CA-A88A-6E5699D4715D" alt="image2.jpeg" id="20E2E897-D6AD-46CA-A88A-6E5699D4715D"></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/Army_Times_020915_02.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/Army_Times_020915_02.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div>--------------------</div><div><br></div><div>Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis</div><div><br></div><div><img src="cid:8712C417-C862-42EF-8382-1B57794A72E5" alt="image1.jpeg" id="8712C417-C862-42EF-8382-1B57794A72E5"></div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/SSG_Michael_Ollis.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/Army_Times/SSG_Michael_Ollis.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div>-------------------------------------<br><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" </span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>