August 15th. Can we trust the Polish army?

What is the modern Polish army? Does it consist of soldiers who are obedient, wise, well trained, courageous, and responsible? Can civilians have assurance in the army?

Paradoxically, the answer to these questions is difficult, due to the fact that the actual image of Polish armed forces remains mostly hidden behind the barracks walls. A civilian sees first and foremost what the military and government want to show him.

So there are politicians in the foreground. They negociate multi-billion-dollar contracts, sign contracts, give the public further good news and receive praise for them. erstwhile success occurs, they gladly attribute it to themselves. If something goes wrong, work could mean losing your job.

Meanwhile, between political decisions and the actual ability of the army to defend the state, there is simply a immense space that the average citizen is virtually incapable to see. That is where soldiers, their training, morale, relations with superiors, adherence to procedures, decision-making ability and readiness to act in a situation where there is no longer area for a press conference and well-prepared communication.

See: "NATO Picnic in Piotrków (many photos and videos)".

Moreover, even the highest commanders are improbable to have full cognition of the actual level of training of their subordinates. Otherwise, it looks like shooting blind bullets at a range, performed according to a well-known side of the script, or a real fight.

It is worth watching, or remembering, films from the first weeks of the Iraq or Ukraine war. It's a different image of a soldier than the 1 known for exercises and propaganda materials. Chaos, fear, disorientation, fatigue, misdecisions, equipment failures, communication problems and logistics, which, under war conditions, is as crucial as weapons themselves. It is only the war that brutally verifies what cannot be verified during exercise.

And that's what we should be talking about on August 15. Not just about the number of tanks, airplanes or launchers purchased. Not just about the parade and the uniforms. First of all, about the man who has this equipment to operate and which state can 1 day put before the most hard of possible tasks – the defence of his citizens.

So far, we're in suspense.

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15.01.2026

• title photo:30.04.2008, military base Camp Echo close the city Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq; Colonel Vincenty Skrzypczak informs soldiers and officers of the Iraqi army and Iraqi police about the start of military training; photograph / source: war.gov (USA)