SOCIAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND MATERIAL CONSEQUENCES OF SOLDIERS' PARTICIPATION IN OPERATIONS ON THE BORDER

For over four years, soldiers have been sent to the Polish-Belarusian border to support the border guards in counteracting illegal migration. Participation in these activities affects their relationships with their families and their opinions about military service. My study aims to show how participation in border operations affects soldiers' functioning across the social roles they perform daily and the motivations that drive them. Therefore, in conducting my research, I sought answers to the question: What are the social, professional, and material consequences of soldiers' participation in supporting the Border Guard in countering illegal migration, and what professional factors determine these attitudes? In search of answers to this problem, I conducted a diagnostic survey using a questionnaire among 906 soldiers participating in the “Bezpieczne Podlasie” operation. The results indicate that border service significantly affects soldiers' personal and professional lives. Prolonged separation from family leads to a deterioration in partner relationships, and repeated and intensive deployments weaken the identification of the tasks performed with the content of the military oath. The results emphasize the need to introduce systemic solutions in rotation, family support, and clear communication of the operation's objectives.