Aleksandra Tchorzewska: Donald Trump stated that NATO soldiers "were not needed" in Afghanistan and "were standing somewhere on the side". Andrzej Duda felt that the president of the United States had nothing to apologize for. How did that make you feel?
Grzegorz Banazak, erstwhile soldier: How was I expected to feel? I felt like a position in an excellent table. If no 1 invited us, why were we even there? But most of all, I was bitten by the words of president Andrzej Duda, who felt that Donald Trump did not gotta apologize due to the fact that "nothing happened".
I'm the 1 who says, "Why the hell did my friends in Iraq or Afghanistan die there?" Why did Andrzej Filipek die, with whom I rode on 1 patrol? (Andrzej Filipek, a platoon of the Polish Army, posthumously promoted to sergeant, died in Iraq, orphaned his wife and 2 children -red.) Why him?
Two days before we left, we just switched cars. I was the 1 who was expected to go where he was, and he was expected to go where I was.
I do not realize how Andrzej Duda can talk in this way. What respect does he have for the soldiers who were there and gave their lives and health? To those who have returned from PTSD, the depression and the trauma they gotta live with today?
Then I have no respect for him either. You can compose it.
How should Trump’s words be answered by a erstwhile military superior?
The real president doesn't grin nervously after saying that, and he doesn't explain anyone's contempt for diplomatic bullshit. The real president stands firm on his soldiers' side, brightly and publicly, without any "but".
It calls for memory, respect and boundaries, which no 1 has the right to cross, even if his name is Donald Trump. due to the fact that the president is here to represent the dignity of the state, not to translate another people's bullshit.
How do you feel about president Charles Nawrocki? On social media, he wrote that "There is no uncertainty that Polish soldiers are Heroes. They deserve respect and thanks for their service."
In my opinion, he behaved correctly, dignifiedly and safely, highlighting respect for Polish soldiers. He did what he should have done at the level of alleged simple decency. He's on the right side.
But from president Nawrocki I would anticipate more radical, sharper and clearer steps towards the words Donald Trump said about Polish soldiers.
Especially since he later said that "in his opinion Donald Trump did not mean Poland".
And I didn't know that.
What should Nawrocks do?
If there is simply a situation that Trump will come to Poland – and I fishy that he will come, until I have chills on my back on the thought – I propose that Nawrocki take Trump to the plaque commemorating Polish soldiers in Warsaw.
And possibly let the families of the fallen soldiers come, and let Donald Trump tell them they weren't there.
Are you struggling with your missions?
I've been diagnosed with PTSD, and besides depression. I'm besides an introvert. The combination of introversion, depression and PTSD is, as I call it, a bomb in the head with delayed ignition.
How long were you on missions?
My trips began in 2003. From 2003 to 2004, I was in Kosovo, from 2005 to 2006 in Iraq, then again in Iraq from 2007 to 2008. Then I went to Afghanistan – in 2008–2009 or 2009–2010, present I do not remember exactly. Since 2003, everything has actually been going 1 by one: six months, sometimes a year in the country and again leaving.
I know there'll be people present who'll say we drove for money. That's not true.
Even now, although I live in Germany, if there was a war in Poland and there was a need, I would pack up and return to defend the country. It's my duty. And since it was possible to defend Poland besides abroad – to limit terrorism, so that what we see present in France or another cities of Europe did not affect us – I think it was worth it. present there is peace and quiet in Poland. And it didn't come out of nowhere.
I can't even imagine what you had to face on a mission...
I must have survived 2 traps in Iraq. 1 in Afghanistan. I no longer number all military operations that have been carried out, nor the exchange of fire and another events.
Iraq and Afghanistan were completely different. In Afghanistan, terrorists did not calculate: if they were to plant 200 kilograms of explosive, they just did. In addition, there were another rules imposed by then president Karzaj.
It was besides so that during the exchange of fire, if, for example, the opponent buried the gun, it could not be shot at, due to the fact that he was formally susceptible – even though half a minute earlier he shot at me.
Poland has sent thousands of soldiers, but in a Trump world, a 1000 is inactive zero if they are not American.
Is life in front of your eyes?
I'll be honest, whenever I was on an "ajdiku", I said to my colleagues, "Kwa, me again." It was specified a hit... I don't know if I had a life in front of my eyes, but just a "step" in the car— erstwhile in the side, twice in the hood or the full front of the car.
The first time I felt a gentle shock, but besides relieved that everything was fine. And the second time I thought, "Why me?" The commander told me that if I always came back with a patrol wrecked Hummer, I wouldn't make it home.
We laughed about it, but we were all happy to last and we're safe.
The worst is something else.
What?
You see your colleague on a mission to Mass, and the day later in the car, his brain almost all splattered on the windshield. That's the worst.
You're struggling with post-traumatic stress. Do mission images inactive appear in dreams?
Every now and then, those memories come back to me. In Iraq, for example, during the 5th shift, a girl died. Nine-year-old. She picked up the Pallad missile's unexploded location where we carried out the demolition work. There were frequently specified explosions. The baby didn't know it was dangerous.
Usually, erstwhile we finished work and left the place, the children would come for water or food that we always had for them. There was specified a belief that if the children were around, nothing would happen. But the bomb squad work was dangerous – it was essential to banish children so that they would not be in the danger zone. I don't know how she got there that day and what she was doing there.
Every now and then, those memories come back to me. I don't like fireworks, explosions... I hatred fresh Year's Eve, too. There's besides much going on, besides much stimulus, and I don't like crowds.
Sometimes I sit at home, I make a report, and then I go to bed like nothing happened.
In addition to the traumatic experience of the mission, did you gotta face the pain of separation, with the feeling that you left your loved ones for a long time?
You can compose a book about it. In 2004, erstwhile I was on a mission to Kosovo, I was born a son. A year later, I left for Iraq – I was inactive with the same woman. erstwhile I went on another mission from 2007 to 2008, I had nothing to go back to. There was a divorce on his return. erstwhile I left for Afghanistan, I was in a loose relationship.
You ran into pictures. Does that give you a break?
I had to find something. But I have been dealing with photography for a long time – I love analog photography. Films, negatives, that's it. Of course, now there are times of digital cameras, agencies request to rapidly send pictures, so you had to change.
But I inactive take pictures of negatives for myself.
I presently work in Germany. I do little reporting work and more for my clients. I do most of my work on negatives. There aren't many, but I'm glad they are.
Would you be able to photograph the war?
I was photographing the war, although in a sense I went there with a Polish medical mission. That was before COVID. First we visited Jordan, and from there we flew to Iraq.
We went to exile camps. Returning from 1 of these camps, we passed through the alleged checkpoint. In that area, we knew there might inactive be tiny armed militias.
We got to the hotel, but we heard gunshots and explosions in the area. erstwhile we later asked the receptionist what had happened, it turned out that it was at this checkpoint we were driving through that ISIS militia attacked the station, killing all the police.
They cut off everyone's heads.
What did you feel?
I sat down at the hotel, and I thought, "Fuck, again." I wanted to get out of there as shortly as possible. It was most likely the second day in Iraq, Irbil. I couldn't go anywhere, the only place I could decision a small bit is the patio in front of the hotel. I sat there, drinking tea due to the fact that I couldn't sleep – everything reminded me, everything was coming back.
I called my partner and I said, "I can't get out of the hotel, everything's back to me." And alternatively of cheering up, she said, "That's why he went off there." I didn't anticipate this – after my fine, delicate partner. She tortured me for waking her up, and she said, I hope you've got your batteries ready, your cards are empty, and your camera is ready to shoot." And she hung up.
Is that good of her to say?
Sitting on this patio, I felt like individual had yet put me back in line. But in fact, at that point, I didn't know why I was actually here.
Let me tell you something else: we, photojournalists, wear specified "tactical suspenders" – you can put 2 cameras, lenses and so on. I have them, too, and I always preferred to sit in the car from the right front. I held my right hand in a circumstantial way, like with a firearm to make it ready.
I would go back to my car all second due to the fact that I missed something with those braces. At 1 point, a girl at a exile camp came to me and said, "Grzesiek, but you have a camera.".
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