Donald Tusk’s words about the Territorial Defence Forces (WOT) being a „para-military” are a very bad omen. They are a sign that Tusk is not interested in the military, has no knowledge of it and, even worse, does not keep track of what is happening on the Ukrainian front.

It is easy to wreck a voluntary formation

Donald Tusk stands a chance to lead the government again. However, it is an extraordinary moment - the world is on the verge of dangerous and tragic events. Opinions are being voiced - and we believe they are justified - that a global conflict may erupt at any moment. A third world war. Poland has no chance of neutrality and avoiding the costs of a potential conflict, even if it tried hard to do so.

At such a time, the country is expected to be led by a leader who has at least minimal knowledge of the army and defence. And, moreover, he will not transfer party torts to the military area. Unfortunately, it is apparent that Tusk’s opinion on the WOT is the same as that of the internet trolls from the „Strong Together” („Silni razem”) movement.

This is a very bad omen. It is easy to destroy a formation which is based on voluntary enlistment and where the primary motivation for service is patriotic enthusiasm and love of the uniform. Serving in the WOT, contrary to ill-informed stereotypes, is not easy. If it were, the WOT would comprise far more than the current 38500 soldiers. Each of them devotes a minimum of 38 days to service throughout the year. In practice, however, that number of days is higher, as Territorial Military Service soldiers participate in additional courses and call-ups, including patrol and observation duty on the border with Belarus. The training is intensive, lasting 13-14 hours a day. This is carried out at the expense of time that the rest of the citizens spend relaxing or enjoying themselves. For the very many TSW soldiers who run their own businesses or have so-called freelance jobs, the call-ups also mean a real financial loss. However, their choice was a conscious decision. These people want to sacrifice their time, effort and lost earnings to be good soldiers. Tusk’s words were a spit in their faces, an expression of the black ingratitude of a man who otherwise makes his living from the taxes of many of those he has insulted. Ukraine as an example of how important territorial defence is

These words were also untrue. The WOT has now been in existence for five years. It includes soldiers who have had several hundred days of training each. This is in practice more than there was in the days of compulsory basic service. There are no such elements of ‘training’ in the WOT as ‘cleaning up areas’, painting grass, peeling potatoes or ‘killing time’. There is no wave, drunkenness or other barracks pathologies. A young WOT soldier, for example, does not know the word „amba”, because this phenomenon does not exist in territorial defence.

What the term means is surely well remembered by old soldiers. „Amba is such an animal, that what it sees it seizes. It doesn’t use pepper, it doesn’t use salt, what it finds, it steals…” - many of them would probably repeat the verse describing the once widespread stealing of items of equipment and uniforms. For it is also important to realise that there are many young military and police retirees in the ranks of the WOT, including participants in foreign missions. There are also many who managed to do their basic military service before 2009. And it is worth listening to their recollections, as many of them say that they fired less ammunition on the shooting range during all that service than they do in the WOT during just one weekend rotation.

The war across our eastern border proved the importance of territorial defence. Ukrainian territorial formations were built just before the outbreak of the war, shaped during the war and today constitute a very important component of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They participate in the heaviest fighting on the most sensitive lines and are effective in their operations. It is a pity that Donald Tusk does not know this, even though it is common knowledge. Perhaps he is not interested in the course of this conflict. After all, not once since 24 February 2022 has he been to Ukraine. And he has not met with any important representative of the Ukrainian state either.

The WOT is not made up of amateurs

It is very wrong to contrast the WOT with the other types of armed forces, especially the Operational Forces. Donald Tusk has done this, despite the fact that each of the five types of the Armed Forces is an integral and equally valid part of the Polish Army. WOT soldiers remain active duty soldiers. They are subject to the same legal rigours as members of the other branches of the armed forces. In some cases, soldiers of the Territorial Military Service (TSW) have certain advantages over some soldiers of the operational forces, where sometimes the main motivation to join the ranks of the army is earnings and the possibility of getting a flat. The motivation of WOT soldiers, however, is different, definitely more selfless. Relationships in territorial defence units are more friendly than in the professional army, where the sick slogan that „in the army there are no friends, only familiar faces” is still alive. People are also motivated to do their duty and learn. The famous slogan from the old army „soldier unseen, soldier not fucked” does not function in the fifth type of the Armed Forces.

The WOT was formed by the generals coming from the special forces. Gen. Wiesław Kukuła commanded one of the best formations of the Polish Army - Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów from Lubliniec. The creators of the WOT imported standards straight from NATO. This can be clearly observed in the tactics and training of the WOT. The legacies of the People’s Army of Poland (LWP) era are not found in the territorial defence system, but do occur in other types of armed forces. „Where the MON begins, logic ends” is another soldier’s ‘wisdom’ with its roots in the Warsaw Pact era. Or ‘frequent changes of decision are the basis for continuity of command’, which euphemistically describes the decision-making chaos that exists in the army. The officers of the Special Forces who formed the WOT tried really hard to make them unfamiliar to the TSW soldiers. Have they succeeded? Not entirely, of course. „MON-osis” is a very strong phenomenon that continues to infect our army, including the WOT. The generals lauded by the previous opposition as outstanding specialists are unfortunately responsible for this situation. And without infusing new blood and new thinking, the ‘old timers’ will continue to influence the shape of our military.

Masses just as important as armament

American political scientist Andrew Michta recently noted that the Russian-Ukrainian war has shown that victory is still determined by masses of troops, not just precise weaponry. One must go hand in hand with the other. The Russians have at their disposal at all times huge masses of ‘mobs’ whose lives they will not spare. Poland - a de facto pacifist country - has no reserves. A while ago, Hamas-attacked Israel called up 700,000 reservists in a flash. Poland, which is several times more populous, would hardly call up a tenth of that number. On top of this, our reservists are usually over 40 years of age. At the moment, the WOT is a real chance to strengthen the army.

Unfortunately, it will be easy to destroy a formation based on the enthusiasm of volunteers. And then the ‘old timers’ and irresponsible politicians will not be able to ensure Poland’s security.

Published on the website of the Staszic Institute