Poland will establish a military reserve corps of 500,000 soldiers, made up of volunteers, with continuous training and financial compensation

The Minister of Defense of Poland, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced the creation of a new military reserve corps that will allow for the rapid mobilization of up to 500,000 soldiers in the event of a conflict. The reservists, who will be volunteers, will receive pay for training days and financial compensation for maintaining availability. The program includes ongoing training, with a minimum of eight days of annual training, and access to specialized courses.

Additionally, cadet schools for civilians will be established, allowing them to obtain the rank of second lieutenant after three years of training. Civilians will be able to choose the training period and military unit, and the state will compensate employers for the temporary absence of employees.

The initiative is part of the 'On Alert' program, aimed at training civilians in areas essential for security. The President of Poland emphasized the importance of reaching the threshold of 500,000 soldiers and allocating 5% of GDP for defense, aiming to transform Poland into a major military pillar of NATO in Europe. Authorities intend to professionalize 200,000 reservists by 2039.