Territorial Defence Force (Poland)
| Polish Territorial Defence Forces | |
|---|---|
| Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej | |
 |
|
| Founded | January 1, 2017 |
| Country |
 Poland
|
| Type | militia |
| Size | 50,000 (planned by 2022) |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
BG Wiesław Kukuła |
The Territorial Defence Force - TDF (Polish: Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej – WOT) is a Polish force made up of professional and part-time volunteer soldiers, forming part of the country's defence and deterrence system. It is the fifth military service, following Land Forces, Air Force, Navy and Special Operations Forces.. The force was being formed as of 2017[update], with a planned strength of about 50,000. Creation of Polish TDF relates to the reforms in Baltic states' Territorial Defence Forces to provide response during the early stages of a hybrid conflict. It draws from experiences of Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces created shortly before.
The Territorial Defence Force is a planned reserve component of Poland's military. A similar, identically named, organization had existed in the country since 1965 but was disbanded in 2008 as part of a modernization program. The re-creation of the Territorial Defence Force was first announced in 2015 in reaction to the collapse of Ukrainian forces during the War in Donbass and concern that Poland's existing military would be ill-equipped to confront an adversary under similar conditions of low-intensity conflict. According to government officials, public reception to the idea was positive with 11,000 persons registering interest in joining the force within the first few months after the initial announcement. The program was subsequently formalized with the signing of "a new document concerning the functioning of the territorial defense concept" by Minister of Defence of Poland Antoni Macierewicz in a ceremony held at Warsaw's Waldemar Milewicz General Secondary School on April 27, 2016.
On May 21, 2017 in Bialystok, Lublin and Rzeszow took place the first military oath in the history of WOT.
On the basis of Decision No. 140 / MON of the Minister of National Defense of 28 June 2017, the command of the Military Forces of Territorial Defense took over and cultivated the legacy of the tradition of the Home Army National Command (1942-1945)
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Wikipedia