Sławomir Mentzen on 1 October called for mandatory military training for young Poles, convincing that the professional army would not supply the state with adequate reserves. MON Vice-Chief Caesary Tomczyk present rejects a return to coercion: the government points to about 50,000 volunteers per year. The real ability of Poland to mobilise is at stake.
Mentzen: The professional army is not enough
Sławomir Mentzen advocated universal, mandatory military training for young people. The leader of fresh Hope argues that in the event of war, the professional army alone is not adequate to effectively defend the state. Poland needs a many and indeed trained reserve, not a list of names without military skills.
The politician directs his postulate primarily to 19-year-olds, and the training would take place after advanced school. Mentzen had previously stated that military capabilities do not let to train everyone at once, and participants should receive remuneration for that time. This is an crucial distinction: the dispute concerns the work to get basic defence skills, not the simple restoration of the multi-month primary service in its erstwhile form.
This is not the first time a fresh Hope leader has accused the government of having no consequences. During the session of the Sejm on 4 September, he reminded that Donald Tusk announced mass training for adult Poles as early as March 2025. In a parliamentary speech, Mentzen asked about the deficiency of adequate reserves and training infrastructure. This allegation is at the heart of the matter: the state cannot at the same time inform against war and postpone citizens' preparations for later.
MON defends voluntary model
Caesary Tomczyk replies that the government does not presently see the request to suspend the collection. The Deputy Head of the MON points out that about 50,000 volunteers are trained per year as part of the voluntary essential military service and the "Holiday with the Army" programme. As long as they are willing, the ministry does not intend to hotel to coercion.
The government is besides developing a programme of “inReady”. By MON's authoritative pilotage information from 2025 was attended by more than 16,000 people., and the next edition runs from March to the end of November 2026. The programme includes individual and group training but remains voluntary. The government's plan is to scope up to 100,000 citizens per year from 2028.
These are numbers you must not underestimate. However, they inactive do not answer the most crucial question: how many trained reservists does Poland truly need, what allowances they will receive and how frequently will they renew their skills? The recruitment of volunteers alone will not replace a coherent mobilization system. Discussion on the universal training of adult men it goes beyond 1 political environment.
Duty must go hand in hand with a serious state
Mentzen's direction deserves a serious debate. Homeland defence cannot be a service provided exclusively by professional soldiers, while the remainder of the society remains without basic preparation. The ability to supply first aid, safe usage of weapons, action during alarm and operation in the command structure builds the opposition of the full nation.
However, the State cannot pass on the cost of its own negligence to young people. Mandatory training requires instructors, training courses, modern equipment, a clear programme and fair compensation for lost learning or work time. Without this there will be a costly ritual, not a reserve capable of defending Poland. It is worth recalling earlier in this context Mentzen's questions about shelters and state readiness.
The dispute should not come down to a convenient choice between a professional army and mass conscription. Poland needs both elements: a strong professional army and a wide, regularly practicing reserve. The government has a work to present to Poles a measurable goal, agenda and costs. Without this, further programmes will stay a political promise, and the bill for deficiency of preparation can come at the worst possible moment.
Source: Money.pl, Chancellery of the Sejm, Ministry of National Defence.
Source: Money.
