Participants in this year's “Holiday with the Army” chose alternatively of leisure requiring monthly training in voluntary essential military service. A full of 10,000 people met the military base, including 2,000 women. In mid-September, the last of them took a military oath. any have already decided to start further specialized training in the army.
"Holidays with the Army" is simply a task by the Ministry of Defence, which assumes voluntary, free and intensive training within the framework of voluntary essential military service. The aim is to increase the reserves of the armed forces, defend the young generation and learn skills useful in crisis situations.
Young people in the camp
In 2025 the second edition of this task was already held. “It was very popular, with more than 10,000 volunteers participating in 3 tours, more than 2,000 women among them,” said Colonel Tomasz Włodarczyk, Deputy Head of the Central Military Recruitment Centre. Of the participants, 87% were people aged between 18 and 35. No wonder due to the fact that the program was aimed mainly at young people: seniors, students, and jobseekers and vacationers. The training was besides an interesting alternate to seasonal work. The participants of the “Holiday with the Army” received almost PLN 6 1000 gross, and each of them was provided with accommodation, food, insurance and medical care during the training.
What determined that alternatively of summertime vacations, they chose the ground? The motivations were different. any wanted to test their skills during military training, others were guided by patriotic motives, as well as plans to join the professional military service, which they perceive as unchangeable and certain employment," said Colonel Grzegorz Wawrzynkiewicz, head of the CWCR.
"Holidays with the Army" ran from 9 June to 13 September and were divided into 3 27 days intensive basic training. Volunteers under the guidance of the teacher soldiers have acquired simple military knowledge. They learned, among others, drills, weapon handling, shooting, hand-to-hand combat, first aid, endurance rules in hard terrain, as well as field studies, tactics and cybersecurity. The program besides included classes on defence against weapons of mass destruction, usage of means of communication, anti-aircraft defence or service of military vehicles.
In the ranks of the professional army
Those who made it to the end of the turnus were waiting for an exam and then a solemn military oath. In this edition, the basic training of the task completed over 7.7,000 people. "Thank you to all who have chosen this very crucial project. Your commitment is to invest in the safety and strength of our Homeland," wrote Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the MON.
Training took place in more than 70 military units throughout the country. As Colonel Wawrzynkiewicz reminds us, volunteers were able to choose suitable for themselves in terms of distance from home, the available word of training or the nature of service and interests. The most willing people came to: 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade in Wesoła, 15 Communications Brigade in Sieradz, 17 of the Wielkopolska Mechanized Brigade in the Interstate and 12 of the Kołobrzeg Logistics Regiment.
After the primary round, each volunteer could decide whether he wanted to proceed his service during 11 months of specialist training. After his completion, he could apply for a professional military service or an active reserve. More than 2.6 1000 volunteers decided to do this immediately after completing basic training. However, many decisions about a possible military career will be made only after graduation from civilian schools and universities. Volunteers after the oath could besides effort their forces at the military academy, power up ranks of territorial defence troops, or become soldiers of an active reserve. On the another hand, those who do not want to proceed their service are transferred to the alleged passive reserve.
– If individual is reasoning about voluntary military service and failed to participate in its summertime edition, he is expected to receive further DZSW turnouts held during the year – reminds Captain Michał Gełej, spokesperson for the Central Military Recruitment Centre, on which you can find detailed information about this website.
