“Women soldiers make a significant contribution to the functioning of the Armed Forces. They successfully carry out not only support tasks, but increasingly stand shoulder to shoulder with male soldiers in strictly combat specialties. They pilot aircraft and helicopters, serve aboard ships, operate missile systems, and serve in special units. Their service is founded on the overriding principle that it is not gender, but physical aptitude, competence, and determination that define a soldier ready to prevail,” emphasized General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.
Photo: SG WP/ Michał Niwicz
Women’s service in the Polish Armed Forces is now one of the key elements in the development of a modern, professional military. Nearly 37,000 women currently serve in the Polish Armed Forces, including more than 4,000 officers, nearly 8,000 noncommissioned officers, and close to 25,000 enlisted personnel. Among them are nearly 24,000 professional soldiers, about 8,000 serving in the Territorial Military Service, close to 2,000 studying at military academies, around 3,000 in the Voluntary Basic Military Service, as well as active reserve soldiers. These figures confirm a clear increase in the participation of women within the structures of the Polish Armed Forces.
In 2015, more than 4,000 women were serving as professional soldiers in the Polish Armed Forces; in 2020, the number exceeded 8,000; in 2024, it surpassed 20,000; and it has now reached nearly 37,000. The dynamic development of new forms of service, including the Territorial Defense Forces and the Voluntary Basic Military Service, has significantly accelerated this trend.
