General Mernik: Poland needs universal military service
The return of compulsory military service in Poland meets the needs of the armed forces and national defense, General Rafal Mernik, head of the General Staff Training Department, said in an interview with Radio ZET. Universal military training is already being launched in the country.
Magda Adamczyk, Marcin Zaborski
Does Poland need universal military service? The head of the training Department of the General Staff of the Polish Army, Brigadier General Rafal Miernik, has no doubts about this: "I say yes as a citizen and as a soldier, because it meets the needs of the Armed Forces and is also necessary to ensure the defense capability of the state."
Brigadier General Rafal Mernik on a visit to the ZET radio station
Radio ZET: Is it necessary to restore compulsory military conscription?
General Rafal Mernik: Yes.
— Why do you think that? By the way, 53% of those who voted on the site have the same opinion. radiozet.pl .
— The issue of resuming the suspended regime of universal military service is a political one, so let's leave it to the politicians to decide. As soldiers, we are ready to recommend such a decision," says the general. The guest of Radio ZET also emphasizes that "this is another step towards increasing the resources and potential of the Armed Forces reserves and preparing society for crisis situations." "Given the demographic problems and the encouraging trends in this area, sooner or later we will face the need to make such a decision.
There are many people who want to go to military exercises. Brigadier General Rafal Mernik: some places are already filled by 300%
— The Ministry of Defense has launched the "Ready" program. We have information that about 10,000 people have expressed a desire to participate in the pilot version of the program," says the military man and adds that there are still places, you can still sign up. Brigadier General Rafal Mernik also reports that the residents of Warsaw and the surrounding regions are the most active. "Do Warsaw residents want to train? Very. In some places, the occupancy rate is over 300%."
— Which of the courses have the most people enrolled in?
— The most popular direction is "digital hygiene".
— What can you learn there?
— How to secure your funds, how to work online, how to be resistant to hostile attacks. We will train citizens on how to resist disinformation.
Answering a question about what training looks like, the military man describes that the first stage of this program, which is being tested today, is addressed to civilians and is not aimed at militarization of society. "We are focused on training civilians. They will acquire the skills of first aid, survival, and behavior in emergency situations," the military explains.
— How do you feel about criticism from the opposition, which claims that all this is PR?
— We are doing everything as it should be. Expediency of action is the most important principle of the art of war, and I think that every person in his life is guided by the same principle.
General Rafal Mernik emphasizes that this program is "reliable, free of PR and advertising, and is aimed at the citizen, as well as the citizen-soldier."
— The second direction of the program is addressed to reservists and citizens who consciously want to participate in the defense of the Motherland with weapons in their hands, to participate actively as military reservists or professional soldiers. A special course will also be developed for them. Legislative work is underway now, we need to change the law. We have an offer for both military structures and civilian organizations, as we want to outsource some of these courses in order to use the rich experience of organizations that do this every day.
Is Russia preparing for war with NATO? "We cannot ignore this possibility"
"Russia certainly has sufficient potential to pose a threat to Western Europe as well. We have recently experienced this for ourselves," the military stressed. When asked whether Russia is preparing for war with NATO, Brigadier General Rafal Mernik replies that "we cannot ignore this possibility." "We have a negative historical experience of relations with our eastern neighbor, so we, the military, are preparing for any scenarios," the guest of Radio ZET notes.
Blitz questions
— Is there a shortage of shelters in Poland?
—Yes," admits Brigadier General Rafal Mernik.
— Is it necessary to introduce a military training program in all Polish schools?
- yes.
— Is the Polish army in good condition today?
- yes.
Brigadier General Rafael on Generation Z in the army: the main population group, whose representatives are joining the army ranks today. They want their needs to be taken into account.
— What about Generation Z?
— Today it is the main group that joins the ranks of the army. This naturally affects our approach to personnel. We are trying to study the features of this generation. A corresponding program is being implemented at the General Staff level. Her goal is to understand the generational characteristics, says the head of the General Staff's Training Department.
Brigadier General Rafal Mernik emphasizes that this generation has its own characteristics, it is "very digital." "They often have problems with attention, it is difficult for them to focus on any one task for a long time, but they have important competencies for working in a digital environment," the military notes.
— How do they feel in the army?
— So far they are getting used to it. With their arrival, some changes are beginning to take place in the army. I think today we are seeing the formation of a new model of personnel management. Young people expect that commanders will not only give them orders, but also take into account their preferences and needs," explains the guest of Radio ZET.
— Now, after the drone attack, has it been possible to increase Poland's security in this area?
— Soon you will see, the information will be made public, that some mechanisms have been developed for this. They will work effectively. Each such incident is a lesson for us," the military assures.
— What would you say about the training of Ukrainian servicemen in Poland — how many have we trained since 2022?
— I won't go into details, this is classified information, but I can say that within the framework of the coalition of countries carrying out such training — Germany, France, Great Britain and others — there are hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, — says the guest of Radio ZET.
Brigadier General for liberalizing access to weapons
— Is there a need to liberalize access to weapons in Poland?
- yes. We must give the opportunity to purchase weapons to people who understand all the responsibilities involved, have received appropriate training and meet all the necessary requirements," the military believes.
The state must be ready to defend its independence, which is not given once and for all, and it must be understood that there are times in history when a country is in danger. Every citizen should know that he is obliged to defend his homeland and be ready to do so. This duty concerns not only the military," says the Brigadier General.
