Major General Maciej KLISZ began his career in the Polish Armed Forces in
1991 and was commissioned in 1995. Initially assigned to the 6th Airborne
Brigade, he excelled as an airborne infantry officer until 2003, completing the
prestigious AIRBORNE, PATHFINDER, and RANGER Schools at Fort Benning,
USA, in 2001.
From 2006 to 2016, Major General KLISZ served with distinction in the Polish
Special Operations Forces across strategic, operational, and tactical levels.
In 2016, he transitioned to the Polish Territorial Defence Forces (POL TDF),
where he held high-ranking positions, including deputy commanding general
and commanding general positions. In October 2023, he was appointed by
the President of Poland as the Commanding Officer of the Polish Operational
Command (POL OPS COM).
Academically, Major General KLISZ graduated from the National Defence
Academy in Warsaw and holds a master's degree in strategic studies from
the US Army War College in Carlisle, USA, where he was a superior graduate
in 2020. He also possesses a master's degree in management. He has
completed advanced military and strategic courses, including the Program
on Terrorism and Security Studies at the George Marshall Center in
Germany.
His operational experience is extensive, with deployments to Bosnia-
Herzegovina, the NATO and Response Forces Operations Command in
Germany, and as the chief of staff of the NATO Special Operations
Component Command in Afghanistan in 2015. Major General KLISZ's service
has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Afghan Star
Campaign Medal, the US Bronze Star Medal, and various medals from NATO,
Poland, and Slovakia.
Beyond his military career, he is deeply engaged in intellectual pursuits,
authoring articles and papers on various defense and strategic issues. Major
General KLISZ enjoys retreats to his mountain hut, studio photography, and
reading. He lives with his wife, Halina, and daughter, Magdalena.