6th anniversary of the founding of WOT. President Duda: Territorial Armed Forces soldiers are indeed “always ready and always close”

I would like to thank the soldiers and commanders of the Territorial Defense Forces for being citizens who volunteer to serve their homeland. There are already 38.5 thousand in the ranks of WOT. soldiers – said President Andrzej Duda during the celebration of the sixth anniversary of the formation. “The WOT soldiers are a very important type of armed forces,” said the head of the Ministry of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak.

Day of the Territorial Armed Forces

In Rzeszów, President Andrzej Duda and Minister of National Defense Mariusz Błaszczak took part in the celebration of the Territorial Armed Forces. This year marks the 6th anniversary of this formation.

In his speech, the President thanked the soldiers serving in the Territorial Armed Forces and their commanders. He emphasized that the WOT is 38.5 thousand. citizens who voluntarily serve their country. As he said, a third of soldiers have higher education, more than a third technical training and specializations that “the army would not be able to acquire under normal circumstances.” These are IT specialists, experts in various fields, including logistics experts, the president said.

Thank you also for responding to this call, the call of the need to build security. Also as part of every citizen’s responsibility for the fate of his homeland

– he pointed out.

The President recalled that from the beginning of his presidency in 2015, he had worked with the then head of the Ministry of National Defense, Antoni Macierewicz, to establish the Territorial Defense Forces. As he noted, this idea was guided by one fundamental goal: that citizens who have their own jobs, families and daily responsibilities can, if they wish, also serve their home country.

The need was enormous, both on the part of the Polish state, but also on the part of a large part of our compatriots. (…) Territorial forces were established, and those who volunteered for them immediately proved to be desperately needed. Any doubts that some people had – whether it makes sense, what it will look like, how quickly these people will be able to take up their duties (…) all this quickly disappeared when it turned out that WOT soldiers were indeed “always ready and always close”

– he said.

An important branch of the armed forces

In his speech, the head of the Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the Territorial Defense Forces consist of people who are faithful to the message conveyed by the soldiers of the Home Army, namely dedication to service and sacrifice to the homeland.

There is a war going on behind our eastern border. The Kremlin rulers decided to rebuild their empire. The best answer, the strongest response to these threats is to build up the strength of the Polish army, and WOT soldiers are a very important part, a very important type of force.

– he said.

Błaszczak said WOT units are made up of volunteers, people who spend their private time serving their home country.

Your services at the border are of great importance to our security and the development of our homeland

– added.

During the ceremony, the President and the Minister of National Defense presented several dozen WOT soldiers with awards, including: for many years of service.

During the ceremony, the head of the Ministry of National Defense presented the soldiers of the 3rd Podkarpacka Territorial Brigade with the book “A Message for Generations” of the Home Army. The authors of the book reached living soldiers of the Home Army and immortalized their message for future generations of Poles. Collecting testimonies from Home Army soldiers was a nationwide project. Soldiers of the Polish Army met with veterans of the Home Army in each voivodeship. That is why the book consists of 16 chapters. The book will be available for inspection in the Tradition Hall of the Podkarpacie Brigade. The book will be distributed to subsequent brigades and battalions throughout the country.

The WOT commander, General Maciej Klisz, recalled that the formation was established on January 1, 2017.

At that time, 18 brigades, two training centers, a commando battalion, the Sonda school for non-commissioned officers and the Gryf military unit were established.

– added.

According to the military officer, after six years of existence, WOTs have become an integral part of the state’s response system in crisis situations. General Klisz said that currently more than 38.5 thousand people serve in WOT units. soldiers. The ceremony was attended by Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.

The festivities ended with a parade passing through the streets of Rzeszów. In the capital Podkarpacie you could see equipment used by soldiers including: Abrams and Leopard tanks, KRAB and K9 gun howitzers, RAK self-propelled mortars and Rosomak Wheeled Armored Personnel Carriers. After the solemn roll call, a military picnic was organized.

The Territorial Armed Forces are the fifth branch of the armed forces, alongside the army, air force, navy and special forces. They were created on January 1, 2017. WOT’s mission is to defend and support local communities in peacetime. During war it is cooperation with operational forces. The formation’s motto is ‘always ready, always close’.

wkt/PAP