Almost 50,000 volunteers have joined the voluntary basic military service. Its formula makes it possible to begin service in the Polish Army after completing a two-stage training – basic and specialist training, which is carried out for up to 11 months in a military unit chosen by the volunteer.

Voluntary basic military service enjoys great interest among Poles. Responding to the interest, a decision was made to increase this year’s enrolment limit from 25,000 to 33,000. Currently, there are 15,975 trainees in formation, 4,530 volunteers are undergoing training in the seventh turn and 11,445 soldiers are undergoing specialist training, reports the Ministry of National Defence (MON).

“I can say that voluntary basic military service has proved to be a hit. It is a success story. Almost 50,000 soldiers have undergone, or are currently undergoing, training in voluntary basic military service”, said Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak at a meeting with soldiers on the premises of the 1st Warsaw Armoured Brigade in Warsaw-Wesoła.

Mariusz Błaszczak added that from mid-November to mid-December another, eighth round will be carried out this year. “It can be said that after a year and a half of our activities, the Polish Army will be increased by more than 55,000 soldiers of voluntary basic military service”, he said.

The Ministry of Defence drafted a law on the defence of the homeland in 2022, which introduced a new form – performing voluntary basic military service. The Act replaced 14 other laws along with the archaic 1967 provisions on universal defence duty.

“We are aware of the challenges our Homeland is facing as a full-scale war is taking place at our border. Russia has invaded Ukraine. The Kremlin’s rulers want to rebuild the empire. The only effective response is to build a strong Polish Army”, stressed the head of the Ministry of Defence at a meeting with soldiers.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński