You didn't appear before the commission? The police knock on the door of the summoned

This year's military qualification lasts until the end of April. Those who are summoned and do not appear are brought before the commission by the police. The army emphasizes that appearing for the qualification board is, for many people, the only contact with the army in their lives.

This year, military qualification covers mainly men born in 2007 (basic age group). Men born in 2002–2006, who do not yet have a specific category of fitness for military service, and selected women are also obliged to appear.

Persons who were summoned to appear before the commission but did not come to the commission are reported by the army to local governments. Local governments, in turn, forward the list of names to the police to bring those indicated on the list before the qualification committees.

– We only provide the police with the names of people who do not justify their absences. They don't come to committees, they don't call, they don't write, they don't explain anything. Those who contact us and we know why they did not come are not brought in by the police, Captain Przemysław Domanowski from the Central Military Recruitment Center in Olsztyn told PAP.

As far as the operation of the Military Recruitment Center (WCR) in Olsztyn is concerned, there is no attendance at commissions. 2.5 percent from 9 thousand people summoned to committees.

– It's very few people. Some of them probably still think that this call is synonymous with conscription, which is a complete mistake. In no case. We only want to determine the suitability of a given person for military service, examine him, and classify him as fit for military service. For many people, this visit will be the first and last contact with the army in their lives – emphasized Captain Domanowski.

He added that although the army has been conducting information campaigns before conscription for several years, there are still those who believe that if they appear for a military commission, they will join the army, just like in the Polish People's Republic.

As Maj. Piotr Grucela from WCR in Wrocław told PAP, in this unit in the basic age groups that should appear before medical boards, the attendance in 2025 was 87%. In the case of older vintages it is 30.67 percent. A total of 5,426 people were summoned in primary age groups, and 1,642 in older age groups.

Major Grucela added that the participation rate during the current qualification this year is approximately 90% in the basic years, and 44% in the older ones, which proves an upward trend.

These are not data from the entire Lower Silesia. The WCR area in Wrocław covers Wrocław and the following poviats: Wrocław, Oleśnica, Środa, Milicz, Trzebnica, Oława and Strzelin.

Among the local governments that asked the police for help in bringing men born in 2002-2007 before the military commission is Wrocław and Mrągowo in Masuria.

– We have until Tuesday at 12.00 bring 28 people to the committee. So far, not a single one has been delivered – the press officer from Mrągowo told PAP on Monday afternoon. Rafał Syczew. He added that the experience of previous years showed that most often those who were not in the country, because, for example, they worked abroad, did not show up for the commissions.

Tomasz Markowski, spokesman for the Warmia-Masuria Police, told PAP that the police in the entire region receive such requests from local governments.

– Last year, the police from Węgorzewo were supposed to arrest several people. In the past, the gendarmerie was responsible for such transport, now it is done by the police through local governments, explained Markowski.

In the past, the mayor of Ostróda, Rafał Dąbrowski, signed lists with the names of people whom the police were supposed to bring to military commissions.

– This is not a nice obligation, but we have no right not to fulfill it – the mayor of Ostróda told PAP.

Military qualification in 2026 covers 235,000. people. It is carried out on the basis of, among others: Act on Homeland Defense, regulations of the Ministry of National Defense and orders of voivodes. The regulations allow people who avoid military qualifications to be punished with fines and disciplinary penalties. In the last 20 years, the Olsztyn court has not had a single request to punish a person who did not appear for military qualification.

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