This month, Poland will introduce a new military training program as part of an extensive strategy to train around 400,000 people by 2026, according to the Defence Ministry. Motivated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland now allocates more of its GDP to defense than any other NATO member. It has become the third-largest military in the alliance, boasting 216,000 personnel and plans to expand its forces by nearly a third in the coming decade.
Civilians participate in military technique training during a session called ‘Train with the Army’ by the Defence Ministry in Gdynia, Poland, on April 5, 2025.
Described by Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz as “the largest defense training in Polish history,” the “At Readiness” program will be voluntary and open to all citizens, from students to professionals, businesses, and seniors.
The program includes a basic security course, survival training, medical guidance, and cyber-hygiene lessons.
“In November and December alone, we aim to train approximately 20,000 individuals in personal training, with the total reaching about 100,000 across all training formats,” Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk stated at a conference.
The ministry intends to train around 400,000 individuals next year “through individual, group sessions, ‘Education with the Army’, reserve training, and voluntary compulsory military service,” Tomczyk added.
The Chief of Poland’s General Staff, Wieslaw Kukula, stated the program has two main objectives: to enhance citizens’ and communities’ resilience and to increase the availability, readiness, and capacity of reserves. Prime Minister Donald Tusk first announced the program in March to “develop an army of reservists” in response to increased security concerns after Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
