JW Komandosów

The Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów, JWK  former name 1 Pułk Specjalny Komandosów, 1 PSK until 2011 (en. 1st Special Commando Regiment, 1st Special Forces Regiment) is one of the five special forces currently operating within the Polish military's structure, Special Forces of Poland. This military unit is the oldest Polish special operations unit. It was formed in 1961.

Thanks to the unit's high recruiting standards, and a special training programme the Regiment implemented several years ago, the unit's soldiers display a higher level of skill and professionalism. The Regiment's troops are trained to undertake a wide range of special missions during war, crisis, peace, with its troops being capable of conducting air assault, helicopter, and parachute operations (including HALO and HAHO operations); CQC, strategic and special reconnaissance operations; direct actions, HR, PR operations, intelligence collection, raids and ambushes; frogman and underwater attack missions; FID tasks; and other missions as deemed necessary.

Current status
The unit, based in Lubliniec, near Częstochowa, is currently operating under the command of pułkownik (COL) Wiesław Kukuła. The Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów have Zespoły Bojowe A, B, C (teams) carries on the traditions of several World War II special mission units. These units, organised with the assistance and of the Britain, USSR; units like: 6 Troop No. 10 Commando, Polski Samodzielny Batalion Specjalny, and the Armia Krajowa Batalion Parasol. JWK also carries II World War Zośka Sabotage Battalion traditions.

Prior to 1993, this military unit existed as detached battalion 1 Samodzielny Batalion Szturmowy (en. 1 Detached Assault Battalion). Between 1993 and 1995 the unit was named 1st Special Regiment and was composed of three battalions and support elements. Since 2011 in 50th anniversary JW 4101 is called Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów. Currently it is organised into three special (in future into four) Zespół Bojowy (detachments), within the structure of a military unit, there are also frogmen squads. Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów have command, staff, 3 detachments, and support elements.

Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów is a professional and experienced force composed entirely of highly trained and selected soldiers. The military unit from Lubliniec, along with the JW Grom, JW Formoza, JW Agat, JW Nil is part of Wojska Specjalne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. All five Republic of Poland SF units are subordinated to  Dowództwo Wojsk Specjalnych (special operations command).

Recruitment
Candidates wanting to serve in the Regiment must first successfully undertake a basic military training course. They then move on to a three-month “Junior Specialist” training course. During this phase recruits receive training in close combat, hand to hand combat, fighting with specialised equipment, parachuting, land navigation, weapons handling, basic survival, and several other military-related skills. Troops who successfully complete the second phase then move onto the unit, where they are assigned to Zespół Bojowy. Once there, additional training continues (mountain and cold weather training, sniper, Casevac, amphibious operations, etc.).

Recent operations
The regiment has been quite active over the last few years. In 2003 troops being deployed to support NATO operations in the Republic of Macedonia during the Kosovo conflict. A 13-man detachment was deployed to Afghanistan as part of Polish support for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). In 2006, had charge of protecting the Polski Kontyngent Wojskowy (Polish Military Contingent) in Pakistan which helps in technical rescue after the Pakistan earthquake. Till 2008 the unit had deployed a 56-man company to Iraq (Iraq War), as part of the Multinational Division Central-South in Diwaniyah. Soldiers fought together with the 5th SFG ODA. Soldiers of 1 PSK was fighting, led special operations in Kandahar Province and other Afghan provinces. Since 2010 JWK compound formed ISAF SOF Task Force 50 which perform special operations like capturing JPEL's, Special Reconnaissance, FID. TF-50 soldiers are operating in Ghazni Province and Paktika (War in Afghanistan).

Equipment
The JWK armouries are currently in a state of flux as the unit tries to upgrade the equipment used by its operators. Weapons in use by the unit include the 9mm Luger small arms: Heckler & Koch USP also SD, Glock 17 and in reserve WIST-94 pistols, Heckler & Koch HK416 and kbk wz. 96 Beryl 5.56x45mm assault rifles, RPG-76 Komar, RPG-7, Pallad grenade launcher, GMG, grenade launchers,  Grom AA-missile, Heckler & Koch AG-C/GLM, Carl Gustav M3, Heckler & Koch HK69A1, Remington 870 MCS, Glauberyt 9X19mm,  PKM, UKM-2000, Minimi, M2 machine guns. Unit snipers are equipped with the Finnish 7.62mm NATO SAKO TRG-21, TRG-22, 7.62mm NATO Bor, .338 Lapua Magnum AWM-F, 12.7mm NATO Tor, 12.7mm NATO M107 sniper rifles. Many of the weapons have been modified with the addition of foregrips, laser aiming devices, aiming lights/illumination devices, and various optics such as Tasco telescopic scopes and/or night vision devices.

Unit's commanders since 1993

 * ppłk dypl. Zbigniew Kwintal 1993 - 19.7.1999
 * ppłk dypl. Bogdan Kołtuński 19.7.1999 - 24.2.2003
 * ppłk dypl. Wojciech Jania 24.2.2003 - 15.9.2005
 * płk Piotr Patalong 15.9.2005 - 7.11.2006
 * płk Dariusz Dachowicz 7.11.2006 - 16.2.2010
 * płk Ryszard Pietras 16.2.2010 - 5.9.2012
 * ppłk Sławomir Drumowicz 5.9.2012 - 26.11.2012
 * płk Wiesław Kukuła since 26.11.2012

Former soldiers

 * Roman Polko
 * Krzysztof Przepiórka
 * Dariusz Michałowski

Regiment WWW

 * http://www.psk.mil.pl