Objectives:
The issue of professional competence is dealt with by many scientific fields, hence the need to review the definition and classification of the concept and to indicate, based on the literature, the current state of research. The main objective of this paper was to identify the research gap in the area of the usefulness of competencies acquired during military service by Polish Army officers in their current workplace after military service.

Material and methods:
The following research methods were used to write the paper: literature analysis and criticism, heuristic method and comparative method. The quantitative method was significantly applied in the work. A survey questionnaire was used, aimed at retired officers of the Polish Army regarding the use of their competencies after leaving the service.

Results:
The terms that often accompany “competence” in theoretical considerations are qualifications and skills. However, qualifications and skills have a narrower context than competencies, which are the result of having both a wide variety of skills and qualifications. Most respondents found employment in a state institution and a uniformed organization. Retired officers pointed mainly to knowledge, experience, and some also to personality traits.

Conclusions:
The issue of competence is undoubtedly an interdisciplinary concept, with its connotations in many fields of science. Consequently, the concept of competence is not clearly perceived in the literature. The personality traits that distinguish officers of the Polish Army are very valuable, as is their specialized knowledge. They will certainly be a great asset to a retired officer's future employer.