Poland rolls out ‘Holidays with the Army’ in a recruitment drive with Russia in mind

Young Poles undergo military training in response to Russian aggression, preparing to defend their homeland with patriotism and determination.

With assault rifles laid out before them, the young Polish men and women kneel on the grass and follow orders on how to pack their survival kits. Next comes a lesson on applying camouflage paint to their faces. Not too much neon, an instructor says as he shows them how to add dark streaks of green.

Many at the training in eastern Poland are new high school graduates, with the men's heads freshly shaven and the women's hair tied back. They have signed up for a new summer program, “Holidays with the Army,” which offers basic military training for thousands of Poles aged 18 to 35.

The military introduced the program in a search for recruits as Poland expands its 198,000-member army in the face of renewed Russian aggression in the region, including neighboring Ukraine.

Despite the program's name, this is no holiday. The recruits rise early to learn combat and survival skills. When not in the field, they clean their quarters. There is no leaving the base, 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the border with Belarus, for visits home or nights out. They earn 6,000 zlotys ($1,500) for the 28 days.

There has been great interest in the program, which is taking place at 70 locations across Poland, officials say.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has sparked an impulse among Poles to want to defend the nation, said Maj. Michal Tomczyk, a spokesperson at the Defense Ministry.

“We haven’t had such a threat since World War II," Tomczyk said. He said they had planned for 10,000 volunteers for the program and have more than 11,000.