In autumn 1942 Kaminski ordered an obligatory draft into the militia of all able-bodied men. Units were also reinforced from the "volunteers" drafted among Soviet POW's at nearby Nazi concentration camps. From 1941 on, due to lack of fuel and minor mechanical failures, Kaminski's unit was ordered to collect abandoned Soviet tanks and armored cars, and by November 1942, his unit was in possession of at least two BT-7 tanks and one 76 mm artillery system.