GROM

=GROM= From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchThis article is about a special forces unit. For other uses, see Grom (disambiguation). GROM in sea operations during Operation Iraqi FreedomGROM (In Polish: sometimes translated Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (Operational Mobile Reaction Group); the acronym itself means "thunder") is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed 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 other name is Jednostka Wojskowa 2305 (Military Unit 2305). {| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents

 * 1 History
 * 1.1 Early history
 * 1.2 Commanders
 * 1.3 Organization
 * 2 Training
 * 3 Known operations
 * 4 Equipment
 * 5 Comparable Units
 * 6 References
 * 7 External links
 * }

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. Poland was one of the handful of countries that provided aid in the form of 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 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 July 8, 1990, GROM was formally established as JW 2305.

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 (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–)

Organization
Sławomir Petelicki was chosen as the first commander of the newly formed unit. As a Polish intelligence officer from Służba Bezpieczeństwa 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: 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. Currently, GROM is co-operating with similar units of other NATO countries: 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.
 * 1 Batalion Szturmowy from Lubliniec (1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów)
 * 48th, 56th and 62nd Special Companies of Land Forces (Kompanie Specjalne)
 * 6th Aeromobile Brigade (6 Brygada Desantowo-Szturmowa)
 * Polish Navy divers
 * Anti-terrorist units of the Policja
 * Mechanised Warfare Officer School in Wrocław
 * Reconnaissance units of various divisions
 * Belgian Special Forces Group
 * British Special Air Service, Special Boat Service
 * United States Army Special Forces, Delta Force, Navy SEALs
 * Italian 9°Th Special Force "Col Moschin" Parachute Assault Regiment
 * German GSG 9, KSK
 * Dutch Unit Interventie Mariniers
 * Canadian JTF2
 * Norwegian KJK, HJK
 * Czech Urna

Before October 1, 1999, GROM was subordinate to the Ministry of Interior, after which time command was transferred to the Ministry of National Defence.

Training
US Navy SEALs and GROM naval warfare team practising boarding skills near Gdansk, Poland, 2009Candidates 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.

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. In four-man teams, each soldier must be prepared to assume the respective responsibilities of his colleagues, should it become necessary. 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. It is also assumed that a lot of GROM operatives are proficient in at least two foreign languages. GROM operatives are trained in the capture or kill methods.

Known operations
Members of GROM secure a section of the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, March 2003.*1992 - "Antoni Macierewicz briefcases" affair (Close protection duty during political problems 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 Yugoslavian war-criminals.
 * 1996 - Bodyguard duties during US ambassador W.G Walker's mission in Kosovo and Macedonia.
 * 1999 - Bodyguard duties during US ambassador W.G Walker's mission in Kosovo and Macedonia.
 * 2001 - Hunt for war criminals in Kosovo.
 * 2001 - Recon mission in Afghanistan before the arrival of Polish troops.
 * 2002–2004 - Mission in Afghanistan (VIP bodyguarding, base protecting duties and other).
 * 2002–2003 - Mission in Persian Gulf. Maritime Interdiction Operations.
 * 2003–2004, 2007-2008 - GROM soldiers took part in the Operation Iraqi Freedom. Also operated in Iraq after May, 2003.
 * 2007 - present - GROM is a part of Special Forces in Afghanistan, as Task Force 49, operating in Ghazni Province.

Comparable Units

 * Belgium - Special Forces Group Belgium
 * Norway - Marinejegerkommandoen (MJK)
 * Poland - 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów
 * Poland - FORMOZA - Special Naval Frogman Group
 * United Kingdom - Special Air Service
 * United Kingdom - Special Boat Service
 * Canada - Joint Task Force Two (JTF2)
 * United States - 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force)[6]
 * United States - Naval Special Warfare Development Group
 * United States - Marine Special Operations Regiment
 * Israel - Sayeret Matkal
 * Germany - Kommando Spezialkräfte
 * Germany - GSG9 der Bundespolizei
 * India - MARCOS (Marine Commandos)