Commander Piotr
Sikora (Polish Navy)
Commander Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group
1
(COM SNMCMG1)
Commander Piotr Sikora was
born in 1969 in Paczków near the Polish-Czech border in the southern
part of Poland. He was educated at the “Carolinum” College in Nysa and
next joined the Polish Navy as a midshipman in 1988. As an officer
trainee he took part in the 6-month long Grand Regatta “Columbus” in
1992 on board the Polish Navy yacht “Koga III”. Commander Sikora
graduated from the Naval Academy in Gdynia with a Master of Science
degree in Navigation and Naval Weapons in 1994.
Cdr
Piotr Sikora started his career as Gunnery and Minewarfare Officer and
subsequentely served onboard three minesweepers. After three years he
became an Executive Officer and in 1999, he was granted commanding
officer qualification.
He
assumed his first command in 2002 and became the Commanding Officer of
the minesweeper ORP ŚNIARDWY. In 2003 he was deployed to the NATO
Reaction Force, Mine Counter Measures North, as Commanding Officer of
the minehunter ORP FLAMING. In November 2003 he assumed Command of the
minehunter ORP CZAJKA. During his command, ORP CZAJKA completed a NATO
deployment as a part of MCMFORNORTH. In 2004 he was promoted to
Lieutenant Commander and assumed command of the minesweeper ORP MAMRY as
the 1st MCM Division Commander.
In the
second half of 2005 he went back to SNMCMG1 on staff training.
Commander Sikora attended further postgraduate studies at the Faculty of
Command and Naval Operations in the Naval Academy in Gdynia until 2006.
From 2006 to 2007 he was appointed underwater systems specialist
in the Logistics Department of the Polish Navy Headquarters. He then
became for the next three years, the specialist in the Sea Training
Division of the Polish Navy HQ, with the responsibility for national and
international maritime training, exercises and Historic Ordnance
Disposal Operations for Mine Counter Measures Forces. In 2010 Commander
Piotr Sikora returned to the 13th MCM Squadron as Deputy Commander/Chief
of Staff for the next three years. Before deployment to SNMCMG1, he was
appointed as a Chief of Senior Officers’ Training Division of the 3rd
Ships Flotilla in Gdynia and was then promoted to the rank of Commander.
Commander Sikora attended the Naval Academy in Gdynia for the basic
Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) Course and also their
Tactical Planning Course and Operations Planning Course. He then
attended the Comprehensive Operations Planning Course in the Latvian
National Defence Academy, and finally the Senior Staff Officers Course
for Commanders in 2012.
Piotr
Sikora lives in Gdynia with wife Katarzyna and daughter Natalia. They
share a passion for travelling. He also loves sailing, mountain walking
and running. He also enjoys music, reading and history.