Authorities are utilizing police to compel individuals to attend mandatory military qualification assessments across Poland, with exemptions for justified absences.
Military Qualification 2026: Police Involvement
The 2026 military qualification process is underway and will continue until the end of April. Individuals summoned for assessment who fail to appear may be brought in by the police.
The military emphasizes that for many, this assessment represents their only interaction with the armed forces.
Who Must Attend?
This year’s qualification primarily includes men born in 2007 (the basic year group). Men from the 2002-2006 year groups, who have not yet been assigned a military service aptitude category, and selected women are also required to attend.
Procedure for Non-Attendance
The military reports individuals who fail to attend to local governments. These governments then forward the list of names to the police for enforcement, ensuring their appearance before the qualification commission.
Justified Absences
“We only provide the police with the names of individuals who do not justify their absence. They do not attend the commissions, do not call, do not write, and do not explain,” stated Captain Przemysław Domanowski from the Central Military Recruitment Center in Olsztyn. “Those who contact us and explain their absence are not brought in by the police.”
Regional Attendance Rates
Within the area of the Military Recruitment Center (WCR) in Olsztyn, 2.5% of the 9,000 summoned individuals have not attended the assessments.
Misconceptions About Military Service
“This is a very small number. Some likely still believe that a summons equates to conscription, which is a complete misunderstanding. Our goal is solely to determine an individual’s suitability for military service, examine them, and assign a service aptitude category. For many, this visit will be their first and last contact with the military,” added Captain Domanowski.
Ongoing Information Campaigns
Despite ongoing military information campaigns, some individuals still believe that attending the military qualification commission will lead to conscription, as was the case in the Polish People’s Republic era.
Attendance in Wrocław
According to Major Piotr Grucela from the WCR in Wrocław, attendance in the basic year groups reached 87% in 2025. Attendance in older year groups was 30.67%. A total of 5426 individuals from the basic year groups and 1642 from older year groups were summoned.
Increasing Attendance Trends
Major Grucela noted that current attendance in the basic year groups is around 90%, and in older year groups, it’s 44%, indicating an upward trend.
Geographic Scope of Wrocław Data
These figures are specific to the area covered by the WCR in Wrocław, which includes Wrocław and the surrounding counties: Wrocławski, Oleśnicki, Średzki, Milicki, Trzebnicki, Oławski, and Strzeliński.
Consequences of Avoiding Qualification
Local governments in Wrocław and Mrągowo (Masuria) have requested police assistance in bringing individuals from the 2002-2007 year groups before the military commission.
Police Enforcement in Mrągowo
“We have until Tuesday at 12:00 to bring 28 individuals to the commission. So far, none have been brought in,” stated Officer Rafał Syczew from the Mrągowo police on Monday afternoon. He added that past experience shows that those who do not attend are often working abroad.
Regional Police Involvement
Police spokesperson Tomasz Markowski stated that the police throughout the Warmia-Masuria region are receiving such requests from local governments.
Historical Context of Enforcement
“Last year, a dozen or so individuals were to be brought in by the police from Węgorzewo. Previously, the military police handled this, but now it is done through local governments by the police,” explained Markowski.
Burden on Local Officials
Mayor Rafał Dąbrowski of Ostróda has previously signed lists of individuals for police transport to military commissions. “It is not a pleasant duty, but we have no choice but to fulfill it,” he stated.
Scope and Legal Framework
The 2026 military qualification covers 235,000 individuals and is based on laws including the Act on Homeland Defense, regulations from the Ministry of National Defense, and orders from voivodes. The law allows for fines and disciplinary penalties for those avoiding qualification. However, in the Olsztyn court, there have been no requests to punish individuals for non-attendance in the last 20 years.