The Polish army is planning a huge modernization push, but its current recruitment strategies are failing, reported Rzeczpospolita.

The Polish army is at a crossroads: on the one hand, the president is promoting a plan to build an expensive missile defense system; on the other, the army's human capital is fleeing en masse to civilian and non-commissioned work placements.

Meanwhile, there's also growing resentment between professional soldiers and those of the National Reserve Force.

On Monday, President Bronisław Komorowski presented to the lower house of parliament a new draft law on the modernization and financing of the army. It assumes the construction of the proposed missile defense shield, which is expected to take more than 10 years and cost several billion złoty.

Critics say the move is premature, worrying that the domestic industry lacks the technological requirements necessary to complete the project.

In the interim, the number of interested soldiers is continuing to dwindle: national reserves were expecting to comprise some 20,000 soldiers by the end of 2011, but are now some 10,000 short.

Poland A.M.