The beginning of 2017 marks the official implementation of Poland’s so called „Territorial Defense Force“ (TDF) – some kind of militia which the special purpose to enhance Poland’s defense against the scenario of a „hybrid invasion“ from Russia. The new militia should also help to handle catastrophes like floodings or support the police during anti-terror-measures. Until 2019 the TDF should consits of 53.000 militiamen. That’s more than half the strength of Poland’s armed forces which have slightly more than 100.000 personel. The new militia would be larger than Polands army which has 48.732 professional soldiers in its ranks.
Polands defense minister Antoni Macierewicz inspecting a TDF unit during the opening of an information center for the militia at Bialystok – Photo: Robert Siemaszko / MoD Poland
The plan is to organize the TDF in 17 brigades. Every voivodeship (some kind of province) gets its own brigade. Those with the capital Warsaw two.The mass of TDF troops are volunteers, serving on the basis of six-year-treaties – Polish women and men who are willing to spend their free time beside work in the new national guard. The monthly allowance is 120 Euros for two days call-on-duty service every four weeks and the willingness to participate in snap exercises. Only the TDF leadership posts, about ten percent of the troop strength, are provided for professional soldiers.
The „magnificient twelve“
The military value of the TDF should come from its grassroots organization into twelve men troops of light infantry.The „Swiss tool“ concept of this units: They collect six military capabilities (medic, pioneer, shooter, sniper, scout, radio man). Beside the commandant and its deputy as well as scout and sniper, every capability is double assigneed with a experienced militia soldier and a novice, so the planning. That should make the units sustainable and lighten the training with the idea of rookies learning from veterans. Weiterlesen
