We are pleased to announce that General Jarosław Mika – a distinguished commander and strategist – has joined the Alioth Foundation’s team of experts. He brings with him unique expertise in land forces, operational planning, and international missions. His appointment marks another important step in strengthening the Foundation’s analytical capacity, policy recommendations, and activities in support of national security.
General Mika served as General Commander of the Branches of the Armed Forces from 2017 to 2023. His military career began in 1981 as an officer cadet at the Armoured Forces Officer School in Poznań. In 1985, he assumed his first post with the 23rd Medium Tank Regiment in Słubice, where he successively served as a tank platoon commander, company commander, battalion chief of staff, and tank battalion commander.
Following his studies at the National Defence Academy in 1993, he was assigned to the IX Operational and Planning Directorate of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, and later, between 1997 and 2005, to the Land Forces Command. There he held positions including senior operations officer, Head of the Planning and Economic Analysis Section, Head of the Planning Division, and Deputy Chief of the Land Forces Development Planning Directorate.
General Mika completed the International Orientation Course in Brunssum, the Netherlands (1995) and took part in numerous foreign training programs, including Strategic Policy Planning at the Queen’s University International Study Centre in the United Kingdom. From 2006 to 2011, he served in Polish Military Contingents in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2008, after completing postgraduate studies in defense policy at the National Defence Academy, he assumed command of the Command Support Brigade of the Multinational Corps Northeast. Between 2011 and 2013, he commanded the 20th Mechanized Brigade in Bartoszyce, before becoming Deputy Commander of the 12th Mechanized Division in Szczecin. In 2014, he took command of the 11th Armored Cavalry Division in Żagań. In February 2017, President Andrzej Duda appointed him General Commander of the Branches of the Armed Forces, and on 1 March 2019 he was promoted to the rank of full General.
Throughout his distinguished career, General Mika has been the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including: the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander), the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the Afghanistan Star (twice), the Gold Medal of the Armed Forces in the Service of the Homeland, the Military Cross of Merit with Swords, the Iraq Star, the Gold Cross of Merit, the Gold Medal for Contributions to National Defence, as well as multiple medals from allied armed forces. He was also awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of Poland.
At the Alioth Foundation, we firmly believe that a strong defense sector is the cornerstone of a modern and sovereign state. Our mission is rooted in combining expert knowledge and the experience of former military leaders with a practical approach to the challenges of contemporary security policy. The goal is to ensure that investments in the defense sector deliver long-term benefits for future generations.
Our experts and collaborators contribute to this mission through analytical studies, publications, and active participation in public debate, promoting the broad dissemination of reliable information and actionable recommendations. In close cooperation with public institutions, NGOs, the academic community, and the business sector, the Alioth Foundation works to build a safer Poland for tomorrow.
