U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Ike, commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, stands alongside U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Raul Aguilar Jr., senior enlisted advisor for HHBn, 3rd ID, as they attend the ‘Star of Kindness’ ceremony in the market square in Bolesławiec, Poland, Dec. 15, 2023. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Moses Howard II)
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Bolesławiec, Poland – U.S. Army Soldiers from the Georgia-based 3rd Infantry Division attended the ‘Star of Kindness’ event which took place in the Bolesławiec market square December 15-17. In Polish custom, the little star on the night of Christmas Eve is called ‘Gwiazda zyczliwosci’ meaning ‘Star of Kindness.’ During the event, members of the community shared greetings and well wishes as they celebrated the holidays.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Ike, commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, shakes hands with Piotr Roman, mayor of Bolesławiec, Poland, during the ‘Star of Kindness’ ceremony in the market square in Bolesławiec, Poland, Dec. 15, 2023. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Moses Howard II)
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The little star is in reference to the star of David which the three wisemen witnessed while traveling towards Bethlehem. The ceremony concluded with dignitaries singing on stage and passing out wafers in baskets to local attendees. The wafers are passed around as tokens of goodwill shared in benevolence amongst individuals during the festivities for the holidays.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Ike, commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, addresses a crowd in the market square during the ‘Star of Kindness’ ceremony in Bolesławiec, Poland, Dec. 15, 2023. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Moses Howard II)
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U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Raul Aguilar Jr., senior enlisted advisor for Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, shakes hands with Piotr Roman, mayor of Bolesławiec, Poland, during the ‘Star of Kindness’ ceremony in the market square in Bolesławiec, Poland, Dec. 15, 2023. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Moses Howard II)
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“The ‘Star of Kindness’ represents the first star that appears in the sky on December 24th and it’s a Polish tradition,” said U.S. Army Capt. Richard Lee Macleod, the garrison officer in charge of Forward Operating Site Bolesławiec. “They have dinner and then open presents on Christmas Eve, and it starts off the Christmas season in the square.”
The weekend’s scheduled festivities included vendors selling a variety of meals and wares as well as children’s plays and puppet shows. A Christmas fair along with a carousel was included with live musical performances from the 3rd Infantry Division Band. Additionally, 3rd ID Soldiers shared in the holiday spirit while on deployment in Bolesławiec by giving gifts to the Polish children in attendance.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Ike, commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, and Sgt. Maj. Raul Aguilar Jr, senior enlisted advisor for HHBn, 3rd ID, stand with dignitaries as they sing during the ‘Star of Kindness’ ceremony at the market square in the Bolesławiec, Poland, Dec. 15, 2023. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Moses Howard II)
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“The purpose of the event is an outreach to the community as goodwill towards Bolesławiec as a strong allied nation,” said U.S. Army Maj. Nicholas Stave, battalion operations officer with the 3rd Infantry Division.
