GROM
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| Wojskowa Formacja Specjalna GROM im. Cichociemnych Spadochroniarzy Armii Krajowej | |
|---|---|
 Official GROM Patch |
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| Active | July 8, 1990 - Present |
| Country | Poland |
| Branch | Polish Army |
| Type | Special Forces |
| Role | Counter Terrorism, Direct Action, Unconventional Warfare |
| Size | Said to be 270 to 300 men and women organised in squads of 4. |
| Part of | Before October 1, 1999: Polish Ministry of Interior October 1, 1999 - Current: Polish Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Warsaw, Gdańsk, Poland |
| Nickname | Special Military Formation GROM of the Cichociemni parachutists of Armia Krajowa (English version of Wojskowa Formacja Specjalna GROM im. Cichociemnych Spadochroniarzy Armii Krajowej, rarely used) GROM Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego |
| Motto | Tobie Ojczyzno! |
| Engagements | 2001 Afghan War, Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Jerzy Gut |
| Notable commanders |
Sławomir Petelicki, Marian Sowiński, Roman Polko |
GROM (In Polish: Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego "Operational Mobile Reaction Group"; the acronym itself means "thunder") is the primary special forces unit of the Polish Land Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990. It can be and is deployed in a variety of special operations and unconventional warfare roles, including anti-terrorist actions and projection of power behind enemy lines.
The unit's full name, in Polish, is Wojskowa Formacja Specjalna GROM im. Cichociemnych Spadochroniarzy Armii Krajowej (Special Military Formation GROM of the Cichociemni parachutists of Armia Krajowa), although this title is purely formal and is rarely used. The acronym GROM is also related to the name of General Gromosław Czempiński, whom, among other actions, managed to evacuate a number of American agents and personnel from Iraq prior to the onset of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In Polish Army nomenclature, it is called JW 2305 (JW stands for Jednostka Wojskowa—Military Unit).
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[edit] History
[edit] Early history
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were several formations of special forces units within Poland, but these were either trained in purely military tasks (sabotage, disruption of communications and such) or in purely counter-terrorist roles. After the Polish embassy in Bern was taken over by militants of the Polish Revolutionary Home Army in 1982, General Edwin Rozłubirski proposed that a clandestine military unit be established to counter the threat from terrorism and other unconventional threats. This proposal, however, was initially rejected by the Polish People's Army.
In 1989, many Jews were allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel. For fear of Islamic extremists opposed to any increased immigration to Israel, many western European countries opted not to assist in the transportation of the civilians to Israel. Poland, however, was one of the handful of countries that did indeed provide aid in the form organization for the operation, later dubbed Operation Bridge (Operacja Most). After two Polish diplomats were shot in Beirut, Lt. Col. Sławomir Petelicki was sent to Lebanon to secure the transfer of civilians and the Polish diplomatic outposts.
Upon his return to Poland, he presented his plan for the creation of a special military unit to the Ministry of Defense, 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 July 8, 1990, GROM was formally established as JW 2305.
[edit] Commanders
- Brigadier General Sławomir Petelicki (July 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
[edit] Organization
Sławomir Petelicki was chosen as the first commander of the newly formed unit. As an officer specializing in reconnaissance, sabotage, and diversion, he seemed perfectly suited to oversee the unit's initial formation. He gathered around himself a group of like-minded and professional officers and set about choosing soldiers that would be fit for special operations. Due to the high risks involved in special service, it was decided that all men should be professional soldiers. The first batch of recruits all came from a variety of already-existing special units with the Polish armed forces. Among these were:
- 1st Independent Special Battalion from Lubliniec (1 Samodzielny Batalion Specjalny)
- Special units of various divisions
- 6th Aeromobile Brigade (6. Brygada Desantowo-Szturmowa)
- Polish Navy divers
- Anti-terrorist units of the police
- Mechanised Warfare School in Wrocław
- Reconnaissance units of various divisions
Out of the possible recruits, only a small group passed the training based on SAS' experiences and the psychological tests. Many of these initial instructors were trained by the Special Forces of the United Kingdom and the United States. Currently, GROM is co-operating with similar units of other NATO countries:
- British Special Air Service
- British Special Boat Squadron
- United States Army Special Forces (the "Green Berets")
- United States Army Delta Force
- Italian 9°Th Special Force "Col Moschin" Parachute Assault Regiment
- German GSG 9
- German KSK
- United States Navy SEALs
- Dutch BBE
- Canadian JTF2
During its formative first few years, GROM 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 1 October 1999, GROM was subordinate to the Polish Ministry of Interior, after which time command was transferred to the military.
[edit] Training
Candidates applying to serve in 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. GROM soldiers train with the best special forces units in the world. As special forces soldiers, they are ranked with the likes of Delta Force, United States Navy SEALs, and the SAS.
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 scuba diving, sniping, and parachuting. In four-man teams, each soldier must be prepared to assume the respective responsibilities of his colleagues, should it become necessary. Approximately 75% of GROM personnel are trained as medics or paramedics. In addition, each group is supported by several professional physicians. It is also assumed that all GROM operatives are proficient in at least two foreign languages.
Unlike special-purpose units subordinate to the police, GROM operatives are trained primarily in the elimination of terrorists rather than capture.
[edit] Known operations
- Autumn 1994 - Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti (awarded with the American Commendation Medal, the first time that a foreign unit has been commended in such a manner)
- Late 1990s - Search for indicted war criminals in former Yugoslavia
- 2001 - Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan
- Since 2001 - War in Afghanistan
- March 2003 - Operation Iraqi Freedom operating mainly near Basra in the south of Iraq
- Since 2003 - Occupation of Iraq
[edit] External links
