WARSAW: Sweating and out of breath, young Poles throw grenades and practice evacuating the wounded at a training ground outside Warsaw.
Instead of relaxing at the beach, they have chosen to do army drills over the summer holidays.
Nearly 10,000 men and women have volunteered for the month-long, paid “Vacation with the Army” program, which the defense ministry launched to promote military service among young people as Poland beefs up its security.
The EU and NATO member — which borders Belarus, Russia and Ukraine — has been strengthening its defensive assets since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 out of fear that it could be next.
“The training includes shooting and tactics classes, field studies, and general air defense,” said lieutenant Patrycja Adamska, spokeswoman for the army’s 10th Car Regiment, one of the units involved in the program.
