In times of growing instability in Poland’s neighbourhood and with the increasing threat of regular armed conflict with Russia, Poland should urgently but also consistently expand its defence capabilities. In recent years, the focus has been on increasing the undoubtedly necessary expenditure on the technical modernisation of the Polish Armed Forces. However, this is only part of the problem and a partial response to the challenges related to our security.
Even the best equipment is of little use without soldiers to operate it, and in times of crisis and war, the state needs not only soldiers but also a range of specialists in the background: from rescue and firefighting services and medics to people skilled in maintaining and restoring the energy system to the broadly understood and neglected civil defence. It may sound like a truism to say that wars are fought by entire nations, not just soldiers, but this is indeed the case.
Unfavourable demographic and cultural changes, combined with a lack of or grossly inadequate training of citizens, are having an increasingly visible impact on the reduction in the number of trained reserves that the state can use in a crisis or war situation. We are not talking only about conscripts, although the personnel needs of the Polish Armed Forces are crucial and we cannot continue to rely solely on the archaic idea of a ‘professional army’. We must re-engage citizens in service to the state and make it a source of pride rather than a chore.
Therefore, Eastern Flank Institute and Sobieski Institute have decided, in cooperation with experts, to present Poland’s first coherent concept for the creation of reserves for the army and the state’s personnel base, to be created in case of crisis situations. Importantly, these reserves could also be used in crisis situations during peacetime. We propose the creation of a comprehensive solution, i.e. Universal State Service (Polish abbreviation – PSP), providing for the training of young Poles for this service. Although on the one hand it is to be compulsory for them, on the other hand it assumes an element of choice, attractive training, the possibility of reconciling it with a professional career or education, and even additional benefits for completing it, which can be used on the labour market.
We propose a completely new solution and approach, based on the experiences of other countries. This is not a ‘draft’ or conscription as known from the Polish People’s Republic, but a modern and flexible form of training reserves for the army and for the purpose of building the resilience of the state – Universal Public Service. This report presents, in turn: a diagnosis of the problem, solutions applied in selected countries (cases considered particularly interesting) and a model for the establishment and implementation of a PSP, which would ultimately be compulsory.
Executive summary of the report available in English:
Full text of the report available in Polish:
