Due to popular demand, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak opened the second edition of the project allowing civilians to receive one-day military training during the winter break. Many Poles see the training as an opportunity to learn basic military skills in the event of an invasion.
“We want to provide basic training to as many people as possible, including the handling of weapons and medical aid, in order to navigate properly in a crisis situation,” Błaszczak said.
The “Train with the army” project is a one-day free course in which participants receive basic knowledge for handling weapons, hand-to-hand combat, field survival, providing first aid, using a gas mask, and how to properly use topography to one’s advantage.
The Polish defense minister stated that the first edition of the training program was a success and there were more applicants than spots available.
“For this edition, we are prepared to train 8,000 volunteers in 31 garrisons throughout Poland,” said Błaszczak.
Błaszczak noted that the course lasts eight hours and will be organized on weekends starting from mid-January until the end of February. He stressed that one of the goals of the program is to attract participants to serve in Poland’s armed forces. He added that following the first edition, a survey was conducted, which showed that the course met the expectations of 98 percent of respondents.
Besides voluntary training for civilians, the Polish Ministry of Defense is also planning to call up to 200,000 for military training next year. The draftees will include territorial defense service people, up to 28,580 voluntary military service members, and up to 38,000 active reservists. Additionally, the ministry is planning to add 17,128 new professional soldiers next year.
