Polish Army launches 'Summer with the Army' training program for youth

The Polish Armed Forces are running the third edition of the "Wakacje z wojskiem" (Summer with the Army) programme. Three 27‑day voluntary training tours begin on 8 June, 13 July and 17 August, taking place in about 90 locations across Poland. The scheme targets people aged 18–35 (the legal upper limit is 63) and offers a gross salary of roughly 6,000 zł, plus accommodation, meals, uniform, medical care and insurance.

Trainees receive basic military instruction: tactics, weapons handling, shooting, grenade throwing, survival skills, first‑aid, hand‑to‑hand combat and topography. Participants can choose the type of unit—land, armor, airborne, missile or navy—to match their interests. The program is presented as a way to gain experience, earn money and possibly continue service in the reserves or regular forces.

In an interview, Capt. Bartłomiej Budnik of the Bydgoszcz Recruitment Centre emphasized that applicants must be physically and mentally fit and that the training is not a vacation; daily routines include early wake‑ups, drills, and intensive exercises. He noted that while the age ceiling is 63, the focus is on younger volunteers.