GROM Military Unit
Operational-Maneuver Response Group | |
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Jednostka Wojskowa GROM | |
Notable commanders | Sławomir Petelicki, Marian Sowiński, Roman Polko |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol |
The Home Army Silent Unseen Paratroopers GROM Military Unit (Polish: Jednostka Wojskowa GROM im. Cichociemnych Spadochroniarzy Armii Krajowej), simply known as the GROM Military Unit (Polish: Jednostka Wojskowa GROM, JW GROM), is a Polish special forces unit and forms part of the Special Troops Command of the Polish Armed Forces. It is believed to consist of around 250 operatives plus support personnel.[1] GROM is considered to be the most elite unit in the Polish Armed Forces.[2]
The unit's other name is Jednostka Wojskowa 2305 (Military Unit No. 2305). Each member of the unit is required to speak at least two languages and have basic medical skills.[1] GROM operators gained the nickname of "The Surgeons" due to their extensive medical training and knowledge and their surgical ability to coordinate and execute special operations. GROM was formed in 1990 with training provided to the initial GROM operators by the US Army Delta Force and the British Army Special Air Service.[3]
History
Early history
GROM, which stands for Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (English: Group (for) Operational Maneuvering Response) and literally means "thunderbolt", is one of five special forces units in the Special Troops Command. It was officially activated on July 13, 1990.[4][5] It is deployed in a variety of special operations and unconventional warfare roles, including anti-terrorist operations and projection of force behind enemy lines.
The unit was named after the
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were several formations of special forces units within
In 1989, many
Upon his return to Poland, he presented his plan for the creation of a special military unit to the Ministry of Interior, a force that would be trained in special operations to be deployed in the defense of Polish citizens in situations similar to the one in Lebanon. Petelicki's ideas were well received, and on June 13, 1990,[4][5] GROM was formally established as JW 2305.
- JW Komandosów)
- 48, 56 and 62 Kompania Specjalna
- 6 Brygada Desantowo-Szturmowa
- Polish Navy divers
- Anti-terrorist units of the Policja
- Mechanised Warfare Officer School in Wrocław
- Reconnaissance units of PAF
Out of the possible recruits, only a small group passed the training. Many of these initial instructors were trained by the special forces of the United States and the United Kingdom.[3] Currently, Jednostka Wojskowa GROM is co-operating with similar units of other NATO countries.
During its formative first few years, JW 2305 remained completely secret and hidden from the public. It was first reported to the press in 1992 and became known to the public in 1994, after their first major military operation in Haiti.
Before October 1, 1999, JW 2305 was subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, after which time command was transferred to the
War on Terror
A 40-man GROM element deployed to Afghanistan in early 2002.[7]
For the
Following the invasion, GROM operators formed the core of Task Unit Thunder, as an element of CJSOTF-AP (Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula), providing a Tier-1 counterterrorism unit for the task force. Along with Task Unit Raider (consisting of
A GROM sniper aided Det One's in its first "real" mission - a close target reconnaissance operation - in which the sniper apprehended the target, (a suspected insurgent sniper). GROM's early success in Iraq made it a valuable contributor to CJSOTF-AP. In September 2004, US Navy SEAL sniper
In 2007, GROM and
Training
Candidates applying to serve in JW GROM have to pass psychological and durability tests, along with the so-called truth test, a physically and psychologically exhausting field test designed to filter out the weaker applicants.
The training of GROM soldiers includes a variety of disciplines. All of them undergo the same specialized training in anti-terrorism and special operations, as well as frogman, sniping, and parachuting.[16] In four-man teams, each soldier must be prepared to assume the respective responsibilities of his colleagues, should it become necessary. JW GROM receives basic special operations training from the Swedish Navy's Special Command for Tactical Operations based in Karlskrona, Sweden's primary Naval Base. Approximately 75% of GROM personnel are trained as medics or paramedics. In addition, each group is supported by several professional physicians. GROM soldiers are trained in capture or kill methods.
They have three different training levels, those being green, blue and black. Green deals with field reconnaissance, deep cover sabotage, population extraction/evacuation, and elimination of personal threats. Blue deals with maritime and naval interjections, undergoing intense special naval operation training, which includes underwater diving, naval sabotage, and naval reconnaissance. Finally, black training is the highest level of training, dealing with hostage rescue, VIP protection, and area protection.[16][2]
Organization
Command and support staff in Warsaw
- A Squadron (ZBA) – Land Element located in Warsaw
- B Squadron (ZBB) – Maritime Element located in Gdańsk
- C Squadron (ZBC) – Specialty unknown located in Warsaw
- Logistic and security unit located in Warsaw
Known operations
Most of unit's operations remain classified, the known ones are listed below. [17]
- 1990 – 1992 Operacja Most[18]
- 1992 – "Antoni Macierewicz briefcases" affair (security duty during a feared political crisis in Poland).
- 1992 – Assault on residence and arrest of one of the bosses of Art B (a political and economic scandal in Poland).
- 1994 – Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.
- 1996 – UNTAES mission in eastern Slavonia, Croatia to arrest Slavko Dokmanović– they have since managed to arrest at least six more Serbian war-criminals.
- 1996 – Security duties during US ambassador W. G Walker's mission in Macedonia.
- 1999 – Security duties during US ambassador W.G Walker's mission in Kosovo and Macedonia.[17]
- 2001 – Mission to apprehend individuals charged with war crimes in Kosovo.
- 2001 – Reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan before the arrival of Polish troops.
- 2002 – 2004 – Mission in Afghanistan (VIP security, base protection duties and other).
- 2002 – 2003 – Mission in Persian Gulf. Maritime Interdiction Operations.
- 2003 – 2004, 2007–2008 – GROM soldiers took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. They also operated in Iraq after May 2003.
- 2007 – 2021 – GROM was part of Special Forces in Afghanistan, as Task Force 49, operating in Ghazni Province.[19]
- 2012 – Protection of Polish and International civilians during the Euro 2012 football tournament.[20]
- 2022 – Protection of Polish President Andrzej Duda during his visit in Ukraine amidst the Russian invasion.[21][unreliable source?]
Equipment
Handguns
Automatic Rifles
Submachine guns/personal defense weapons
Machine gunsPrecision rifles
Launchers/anti-materiel weapons
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Commanders
- Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki(June 13, 1990 – December 19, 1995)
- Brigadier General Marian Sowiński (December 19, 1995 – December 6, 1997)
- Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki (December 7, 1997 – September 17, 1999)
- Colonel Zdzisław Żurawski (September 17, 1999 – May 26, 2000)
- Colonel Roman Polko (May 26, 2000 – February 11, 2004)
- Colonel Tadeusz Sapierzyński (February 11, 2004 – February 23, 2006)
- Brigadier General Roman Polko (February 23, 2006 – November 8, 2006)
- Colonel Piotr Patalong (November 8, 2006 – March 25, 2008)
- Colonel Jerzy Gut (March 25, 2008 – July 24, 2008)
- Colonel Dariusz Zawadka (July 24, 2008 – August 6, 2010)
- Colonel Jerzy Gut (August 6, 2010 – July 28, 2011)
- Colonel Piotr Gąstał (July 28, 2011 – September 7, 2016)
- Colonel Robert Kopacki (September 8, 2016 – March 14, 2017)
- Colonel Mariusz Pawluk (March 14, 2017 – December 31, 2019)
- Colonel Grzegorz Mikłusiak (January 1, 2020 –)
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-60239-215-1.
- ^ a b Martin, Wes (2022-07-29). "JW GROM: Poland's Elite Special Operators". Grey Dynamics. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ a b Paweł (19 July 2019). "Everything you need to know about the Polish Special Unit GROM". SOFREP (Special Operations Forces Report). The SOFREP Media Group. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-89632-50-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-08-04538-1.
- ^ "Jednostka Wojskowa GROM".
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.144
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.96
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.123
- ISBN 978-0-52595-372-2.
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.127
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8
- ^ ISBN 978-1250067173
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.177
- ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8, p.144-145
- ^ a b Polska, Naval (2019-07-19). "Everything you need to know about the Polish Special Unit GROM". SOFREP. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ a b Specwar. "Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (GROM)". specwar.info. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ Fedorowicz, Andrzej. "Most. Tajna operacja Mossadu w Polsce" (in Polish). historia.focus.pl. Archived from the original on 2015-06-27. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ Murphy, Jack. "Polish Commandos getting it done in Afghanistan". Kitup.military.com. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ "Euro 2012: Specjalsi są gotowi na akcję przeciw terrorystom" (in Polish). wiadomosci.gazeta.pl. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
- ^ @visegrad24 (April 16, 2022). "Soldier from the world-famous Polish special operations force "Grom" in Kyiv, protecting Polish President Andrzej D…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Sebastian Miernik. "Strona poświęcona Wojskowej Formacji Specjalnej GROM" (in Polish). Grom.mil.pl. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
- ^ "Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej - Portal Gov.pl". www.wp.mil.pl. Archived from the original on July 3, 2006.
- ^ "The Weird World of the Desert Eagle and its Offspring". Sofrep. sofrep.com. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Meter, Sebastian. "GROM Utility and Equipment" (in Polish). Gdańsk House Publishing. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2009-08-02.
- ^ a b c d e f Wilk (REMOV), Remigiusz. "Nowe gromy GROM". Archived from the original on 2010-03-26.
- ^ Domisiewicz, Rafał (July 2007). "Czarne Diabły ruszyły na wojnę" (in Polish). Raport Magazine Online. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
- ISSN 0265-3818).
- ^ "Termobaryczny GROM" (in Polish). Altair news agency. 24 December 2010.
- ^ "60 mm Ultralight Commando Mortar ANTOS" (PDF). VOP CZ.
- Neville, Leigh, Special Forces in the War on Terror (General Military), Osprey Publishing, 2015 ISBN 978-1-4728-0790-8
External links
- JW Grom fan page
- ShadowSpear Special Operations
- The GROM factor Archived 2015-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
- Specwar.info - Special Forces Encyclopedia
- "Photos of GROM soldiers in Iraq, 2003". Archived from the original on 2007-08-29.
- Navy SEALs - Operational History