Ollis Warrior Grill Rededicated, Celebrating Valor and Alliance in Poland

POZNAN, Poland - U.S. and Polish military leaders rededicated the Michael H. Ollis Warrior Grill at Camp Kosciuszko on June 12, honoring the newly minted Medal of Honor recipient and reaffirming the powerful bond between the two nations.

The ceremony unveiled an updated plaque for Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, whose Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded posthumously to the Medal of Honor earlier this year for his actions in Afghanistan.

Ollis, of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, was killed on Aug. 28, 2013, during a fierce insurgent attack at Forward Operating Base Ghazni. Moving alongside Polish Army 2nd Lt. Karol Cierpica, Ollis shielded his wounded ally from a suicide bomber, sacrificing his own life to save another.

Originally dedicated to the Staten Island, New York native in 2023, the Warrior Grill is the first Polish military dining facility named for an American service member. Leaders said the rededication not only reflects Ollis's Medal of Honor, but also the enduring significance of his sacrifice to U.S.-Polish military cooperation.

"Staff Sergeant Ollis did not do this because of a formal treaty alliance," said Col. Jeremy McHugh, U.S. Army Garrison Poland commander.

The event's timing added extra meaning, coinciding with the Army's 251st birthday and taking place at a camp named for Polish and American Revolutionary War hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko.

"May both individuals serve as examples of the friendship and relationship between our nations for the future," McHugh said.

Lt. Col. Grzegorz Holubowicz, deputy commander of Poland's 14th Garrison Support Unit, called Ollis's actions a lasting symbol of the values shared by both militaries.

"His actions remind us that the soldiers of Poland and the United States are united by common values - honor, courage, loyalty and steadfast commitment to serving and protecting others," Holubowicz said.

Command Sgt. Maj. Phillip B. Blaisdell, V Corps senior enlisted leader, reflected on his connection to Ollis and his family, tying the soldier's sacrifice to the long-standing alliance between the United States and Poland.

"We're here for Poland because on Sept. 11, 2001, Poland was here for us," Blaisdell said, referencing Poland's support alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

After the White House Medal of Honor ceremony on March 2, Poland awarded Ollis the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, its highest honor for foreign citizens.

The rededication concluded with an Army birthday cake-cutting, linking Ollis's legacy of service to the Army's ongoing commitment to its Soldiers, allies and partners.