Commandos Military Unit
Army Commandos | |
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Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów | |
płk Michał Strzelecki | |
Insignia | |
Abbreviation | JWK |
The Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów, commonly called JWK and formerly known as 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów (1 PSK), is one of six special forces units currently operating within Poland's Centrum Operacji Specjalnych - Dowództwo Komponentu Wojsk Specjalnych (COS - DKWS, en. Special Operations Center - Special Forces Component Command). JWK (although under different name and with different structure) was formed in 1961 and is the oldest still active Polish special operations unit. The unit is located in Lubliniec, Poland.
The regiment has carried out the majority of special operations that resulted in the gathering of the actual Polish Intelligence. In the early years of the
Mission
Thanks to the unit's high recruitment standards, and a special training program the Regiment implemented several years ago, the unit's soldiers display a very high level of skills and professionalism and are trained to undertake a wide range of special missions during war, crisis and peace time.[1]
- SR - (Special Reconnaissance) - timely and accurate intelligence gathering on an enemy and its operations and strategies
- UW - (Unconventional Warfare) - support and guerrilla training, spread of subversion and propaganda
- DA - (Direct Action) - sabotage, ambushes, raids
- PR - (Personnel Recovery) - recovery of missing or abducted friendly personnel from areas of operations
- CSAR - (Combat Search and Rescue) - combat rescue and reconnaissance
- CT - (Counter-Terrorism) - capture or killing of known terrorists, seizing or destruction of terrorist assets
- CP - (Counter-Proliferation) - combat the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and conventional weapons
- MS - (Military Support) - support, training and advising of allied forces
- FID - (Foreign Internal Defense) - counter-insurgency in a foreign state
- MOOTW - (Military Operations Other Than War) - Crisis Response operations
- HR - (Hostage Rescue) - release of civilians or prisoners of war from an enemy or criminals
- CPP - (head of state and ambassadors
Along with being trained and competent in
It is worth noting that out of the 1800 worldwide, in JWK currently serve the only Polish soldiers having ever graduated from the grueling U.S.
History
The unit was established in 1961 as a part of 6th Pomeranian Airborne Division in Kraków, under the name 26 Batalion Dywersyjno – Rozpoznawczy (en. 26th Sabotage-Reconnaissance Battalion). In 1964 26th S-RB was detached from 6th Airborne Division and relocated to Dziwnów on Wolin Island (Baltic Sea). It was restructured and named 1 Samodzielny Batalion Szturmowy (en. 1st Detached Assault Battalion).
On October 8, 1993, following an executive order from the
After twelve years under the command of the Polish Land Forces, the unit transitioned to the Polish Special Forces Command (pl. Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych) along with all other Polish Special Forces units when it was formed in 2007.
Finally in 2011 (October 1) for its 50th anniversary, the unit was renamed Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów which at present is its current name. Within Poland's Armed Forces organization, the unit is referred to by its code number JW4101.
Organization
JWK is currently operating under the command of
Each of these teams carry the traditions of Polish units from
Current Structure:
- HQ & Logistics Detachment
- Squadron A - insignia of the Batalion Miotła from the Polish Home Armyand insignia of PSBS
- Squadron B - Combined Operations insignia of the No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando unit and its No. 6 Troop (Polish)
- Squadron C - insignia of the Batalion Parasolfrom the Polish Home Army
- Squadron D - set up in 2016
- Command and Security Unit - insignia of the Batalion Zośkafrom the Polish Home Army
- Information Support Group
- Special Forces Training Center
All three combat detachments as well as the HQ & Logistics Detachment have their own insignias, all carrying on Poland's legacy from World War II.
- JWK insignias
-
Zespoł Bojowy A, Miotła insignia
-
Zespoł Bojowy B, Combined Operations insignia
-
Zespoł Bojowy C, Parasol insignia
-
Pododdział wsparcia i zabezpieczenia, Zośka insignia
Along with all other Wojska Specjalne units, JWK is currently subordinated to the Centrum Operacji Specjalnych - Dowództwo Komponentu Wojsk Specjalnych (COS-DKWS, en. Special Operations Center - Special Forces Component Command); which itself is subordinated to the Armed Forces Branches Operational Command (Pol. Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych) and Armed Forces Branches General Command's Inspectorate of Wojska Specjalne (Pol. Dowództwo Generalne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych), (Pol. Inspektorat Wojsk Specjalnych). Before Komorowski & Koziej reform (structure till 31.12.2013) from Biuro Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego, Wojska Specjalne had simply organisation of commanding (force user & force provider) - Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych.[6][7]
Unit insignia
Continuing with its tradition of honoring and remembering Poland's legacy from
The anchor, known as
Incorporated in the "Kotwica" anchor is a dagger, a worldwide-recognizable symbol of the Special Operations Forces and also a nod to the unit's previous insignias both as 1PSK and as JWK.
The red color of the emblem refers to the color of No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando unit from World War II and its No. 6 Polish Troop also known as the 1st Independent Company, whose Combined Operations recognition badge serves as the current insignia for JWK's Squadron B. The black background of the unit's insignia is a nod to the official color of the Polish Special Forces.[8]
Recruitment
Candidates wanting to serve in the Regiment must first successfully undertake a basic military training course. They then move on to a three-month “Junior Specialist” training course. During this phase recruits receive training in
Recent operations
The
Squadron B of JWK was deployed to Iraq (Iraq War) as part of the Multinational Division Central-South in Diwaniyah. Headquartered in Camp Echo under Polish command.
Squadron B of JWK were involved in combat operations throughout Afghanistan, including the Kandahar Province.
In 2007 reports of war crimes from JWK soldiers started to become public. In August of 2007, a Polish patrol attacked the village of Nangar Khel, killing six civilians, including three children, and wounding three others.
Squadron B was deployed to
Uniform
Like all units subordinated to COS-DKWS, JWK personnel wear a MultiCam or Suez (Poland's own version of MultiCam developed around 2007, no longer issued and currently being phased out) uniform while in garrison. For various reasons, they may also wear civilian clothing. Soldiers may also wear a distinctive dark green beret with a badge depicting the Eagle of the Polish Special Forces, though it is not mandatory except for a formal ceremony or with the dress uniform. Apart from Command personnel, all other personnel wear uniforms and berets that bear no name or rank so as to conceal and protect their identities. Civilian haircuts and facial hairs are authorized to help soldiers blend-in with the rest of the population. Every soldier serving in a combat capacity within the unit has a nickname used to refer to him when in a public environment.
Weapons
Weapons in use within JWK as of mid-2015.
Assault rifle
- Heckler & Koch HK416 in 14.5" version
- Heckler & Koch HK416 A5 in 11" version (currently being deployed)
- Beryl
Pistols
- Heckler & Koch HK USP SDin 9×19mm
- Heckler & Koch HK USPin 9×19mm
- GLOCK 17 Gen3 in 9×19mm
Submachine guns
- Heckler & Koch MP5
- Heckler & Koch MP5SD
- Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW
- PM-98 Glauberyt
Shotgun
Sniper rifles
- SAKO TRG-22
- Barrett M107
- Accuracy International AWM
- Accuracy International AXMC
- Knight's Armament Company M110
Machine gun
- FN Herstal FN MINIMI in 5.56mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO
- FN M2HB
RPG
- Carl-Gustaf M3
Grenade launcher
- Heckler & Koch HK GLM/AG-HK416
40mm grenade launcher system
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Unit Commanders since 1993
Source:[10]
- ppłkdypl. Zbigniew Kwintal 1993 - 19.7.1999
- ppłk dypl. Bogdan Kołtuński 19.7.1999 - 24.2.2003
- ppłk dypl. Wojciech Jania 24.2.2003 - 15.9.2005
- płkPiotr Patalong 15.9.2005 - 7.11.2006
- płk Dariusz Dachowicz 7.11.2006 - 16.2.2010
- płk Ryszard Pietras 16.2.2010 - 5.9.2012
- ppłk Sławomir Drumowicz 5.9.2012 - 26.11.2012
- płk Wiesław Kukuła 26.11.2012–28.10.2016
- płk Michał Strzelecki 28.10.2016–present
Losses
Since its inception the unit has lost eleven members as a result of active military duty.[11]
- sierż. Piotr Łosiak (February 16, 1995)
- st. szer. Tomasz Przybylski (March 14, 1998)
- kpt. Paweł Urlik (December 9, 1998)
- plut. Artur Kuchta (September 11, 1999)
- mjr Stanisław Musiejuk (October 29, 2002)
- sierż. Piotr Mikułowski (March 4, 2003)
- sierż. Paweł Legencki (March 4, 2003)
- sierż. Sebastian Gruszka (September 20, 2009)
- mł. chor. Bartosz Spychała (April 3, 2011)
- mł. chor. szt. Arkadiusz Horbiński (May 8, 2011)
- st. chor. szt. Mirosław Łucki (August 24, 2013)
References
- ^ "cisiiskuteczni.pl".
- ^ "Cisi i skuteczni". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26.
- ^ "Page has moved". archiwum2013.mon.gov.pl.
- ^ "..:: Departament Wychowania i Promocji Obronności - MON :: Baza decyzji ::." tradycje.wp.mil.pl.
- ^ "Komandosi dziedziczą tradycje "Miotły"". www.polska-zbrojna.pl.
- ^ "Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych - COS - DKWS". Archived from the original on 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2014-11-06.
- ^ "Strona główna".
- ^ "cisiiskuteczni.pl".
- ^ "Polish Airborne Units Based in Cracow Tasked with Provision of Training for the Ukrainian "Cyborgs" - Defence24.com". www.defence24.com.
- ^ After the change of the battalion in the regiment.
- ^ "cisiiskuteczni.pl".
Sources
- http://www.wojskaspecjalne.mil.pl Archived 2009-08-21 at the Wayback Machine