Sławomir Petelicki
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| Sławomir Petelicki | |
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| Life |  Brigadier-General |
| Born | September 13, 1946 Warsaw, Poland |
| Died | - - |
| Career | |
| In service since: | 1969 |
| Notable assignments: | CO of GROM |
| Major wars and battles: | confidential |
| Medals | |
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Brigadier-General Sławomir Petelicki (b. 1946) was the first commander of the Polish special forces unit GROM from July 13, 1990, until December 19, 1995. Currently he is heading the Foundation of Former GROM Soldiers.
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[edit] Biography
Sławomir Petelicki was born September 13, 1946 in Warsaw. In 1969 he graduated from the Law Faculty of the Warsaw University. The same year he joined the Polish Army and, until 1990, he served at various posts in the military intelligence. On various posts in Polish embassies abroad he was responsible for counter-intelligence. Since 1973 a military advisor at the Polish consulate in New York. Upon his return to Poland he continued his service in the economical intelligence. After a brief stay in Sweden between 1983 and 1987, where he served as the head of the Polish intelligence in the embassy in Stockholm, he returned to Poland where he was assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the commanding officer of all the security services guarding Polish embassies and consulates.
Apart from his intelligence service, Petelicki was also an active member of special forces. He gained extensive experience in reconnaissance and diversion. Very little is known of the missions he was part of, apart from the missions to North Vietnam in 1971 and to China the following year.
In 1990 Petelicki was assigned to a newly-formed top secret JW 2305 special forces. Initially consisting only of himself, the unit was soon expanded to become the GROM. For the first several years the unit remained completely secret. 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. Dismissed on December 19, 1995, Petelicki remained unassigned.
Between May 14 and June 13 of 1996, Petelicki was the deputy Prime Minister for fighting the organized crime. On December 7, 1997 he was again assigned as the commanding officer of GROM unit. On August 15, 1998, the Day of the Polish Army, he was promoted by president Aleksander Kwaśniewski to the rank of generał brygady. On September 17, 1999 he finally gave up the command of GROM and retired.
[edit] Awards
During his military career, Sławomir Petelicki was awarded with some of the most notable military medals, including the following:
Cross of Merit for Bravery, Golden and Silver- Golden Cross of Merit
- Silver Cross of Merit
Order Odrodzenia Polski Officers' and Commanders' Cross
Golden Medal za Zasługi dla Obronności
Legion of Merit (USA)
Army Commendation Medal (USA)
In addition, Petelicki is a honorary member of the 5th and 10th Special Forces Groups of the American "Green Berets" and is bearer of the Golden GROM Badge with Wreath. During his career he accomplished parachute, sniper and diver training. He also gained the I dan in Judo and is a specialist in helicopter landing.
Popular among the journalists and mass media, Petelicki was also awarded with the title of Gentleman of the Year 2000 by the Gentleman monthly. Currently he is heading the Foundation of Former GROM Soldiers, which helps the veterans to melt into the society.
