Foreign guests in Záhorie
(April 10) Service personnel from the 1st Groundbased Air Defence Battery IGLA (1st GBAD Bty IGLA), operating under the Ground-based Air Defence Brigade Nitra (GBAD Bde Nitra), undertook a tactical combat firing exercise, using the S-2M man-portable, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile system (SAMS) and the OT-90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), armed with 14.6mm and 7.6mm machineguns, at the Military Technical and Testing Institute Záhorie (MTTI Záhorie). On the last day of the exercise, Slovak Air Force Deputy Commander Col Vladimír Kováč, GBAD Bde Nitra Commander Col Miroslav Lorinc, GS, and the director of MTTI Záhorie welcomed a delegation of 18 defence attachés accredited to the Slovak Republic who took time to come and see practical, dynamic and static demonstrations. The live-fire exercise using the S-2M surface-to-air missile system and the OT-90 IFV armed with 14.6mm and 7.6mm machineguns will continue from 14 to 17 April with members of 2nd GBAD Bty IGLA. Upon the completion of the exercise, the firing skills of the GBAD components will be thoroughly evaluated. ● A specialized tactical training exercise involving the Sereď-based Engineer Battalion was held on Váh Garrison's training grounds in Sereď on 9 and 10 April, aimed at testing the coordination of commanders in planning and executing tasks of general engineering support by earmarked units. The exercising engineers set up vehicle and vessel transport corridors, a first aid station (ROLE 1), maintained roads, cleared mines, conducted earthworks, and erected temporary bridges. Among the exercising troops were especially units from the 1st and 2nd Pontoon Company, 3rd Engineer Technical Company and 6th Engineer Company.
M. Stropnický in Slovakia (April 11) Minister of Defence Mar n Glváč welcomed his new Czech counterpart Mar n Stropnický on his first official visit to Slovakia. Their discussions centred on furthering coopera on between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Minister of Defence Glváč conveyed his sa sfac on with the Slovak-Czech defence rela onship, which, going beyond the standard, will be deepened even more. “Our mee ngs are always nice and pleasant,” said the Minister. “Discussions are fast, there's no need to explain anything, we have a similar mindset and that's what ma ers,” said Minister Stropnický. This special relaonship, which goes above and beyond the usual scope of coopera on, is evidenced by the second joint mee ng of the Slovak and Czech governments, due to be held in two weeks' me in Skalica. “There, we will sign documents on joint projects,” said the head of the Slovak MOD. “Because of increasingly overstretched defence budgets, we will share selected weapon systems, push ahead with joint planning, and consider common procedures,” added Mar n Stropnický. For the Slovak Republic, the strengthening and promo ng of its special rela onship with the Czech Republic is a permanent priority. Coopera on between SVK and CZ Air Force and Ground Forces elements is now assuming realis c contours.
Martin Glváč in Poland
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(April 7) The Slovak and Polish Republics aspire to forge closer es in the field of defence. This was voiced by SVK Minister of Defence Mar n Glváč and Polish Minister of Na onal Defence Tomasz Siemoniak during their discussions in Krakow. “In this me of declining defence spending, solu ons beneficial to both countries must be sought a er,” said Mar n Glváč. His interest in forging a closer defence rela onship was also declared by Polish Minister Siemoniak who said that “We view the Slovak Republic as a close partner. Our coopera on is built on solid founda ons, we cooperate within the V4 countries, NATO, the European Union, and we share similar opinions.” The Ministers' intent to forge closer coopera on es should be affirmed by the upcoming intergovernmental agreement on the development of defence coopera on. Furthermore, the Ministers discussed coopera on in joint V4 projects. “We will pursue their implementa on even during the Slovak Republic's chairmanship of the Visegrad Group, which Slovakia is due to assume on 1 July 2014,” said Mar n Glváč.
● In cooperation with ACG 3 (Aerospace Capabilities Group 3), NAFAG (NATO Air Force Armaments Group) and the SG/2 subgroup to NATO HQ in Brussels, the Slovak Air Force HQ is preparing an exercise for Air Force and Air Defence units, codenamed MACE XVI, which is due to be held from 15 to 30 September 2014. Towards this end, an initial planning conference was organized by the exercise planning group in Zvolen on 9 April, with over 50 specialists attending the venue. ● The Institute of Military History Bratislava, working in cooperation with the Centre for Military History of the Royal Danish Defence College, organized the 14th Annual Conference of the Euro-Atlantic Conflict Studies Working Group. The five-day conference named “Doctrinal Change: Using the Past to Fight the Present”, held under the auspices of SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč, was officially opened on 8 April by SVK MOD State Secretary Miloš Koterec. ● MSgt Ondrej Bihári, a Military Police (MP) dog handler, is the first Slovak soldier to be awarded at the Regional Command South by U.S. General Reiny for his exceptional performance of tasks as a K-9 MP Officer within the KAF IMP structure. He received the award for his role in the IMP's special operations, particularly in the ops aimed at contraband searches. Capt Garvens, Commander of the KAF IMP Task Force, nominated him for the Hero of the Day title. ● On 8 April 2014, members of the Training and Support Forces (TSFs) Headquarters held a ceremony to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Slovak Republic’s entry into the North Atlantic Alliance. Col Martin Stoklasa, TSFs Commander, awarded selected members of the TSFs with the Commemorative Medals in Memory of the 10th Anniversary of the Slovak Republic’s Entry into NATO. He presented the Commemorative Badge, 2nd Grade, to Lt Col Ladislav Kisel, Commander of the Military Ops Training Unit, for his role in organizing the 24th meeting of the Training and Education for Peace Support Operations NATO Training Group Task Group (TEPSO NTG TG). ● Members of the Bratislava Garrison HQ, Sgt 1st Class Radomír Peniak, Pte Peter Grandtner, wearing a battle dress uniform, and Lt Lenka Zvalová represented the Slovak Armed Forces at the traditional running event, dubbed as National Run Devín – Bratislava on 13 April. The men’s running trio improved their last year’s personal bests and were rewarded in the finish by a round of applause.
CHODs meet in Trenčín
(April 10) Joint projects in the field of armaments were the main topic of the meeting between Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Peter Vojtek and his Czech counterpart Lt Gen Petr Pavel, who arrived in Slovakia on 10 April for his two-day visit. He was received by Lt Gen Vojtek at the premises of the Combat Support Brigade HQ in Trenčín. Besides the joint projects in the field of armaments, the Chiefs discussed matters regarding the transformation process of both armed forces and their current participation in the international crisis management operations.
Slovakia chairs Finabel
(April 9) As part of the annual meeting of the Finabel Committee, Land Forces Chiefs of Staff of EU member states began deliberations between 7 and 9 April in Nicosia. Cyprus ended its year-long chairmanship of the Finabel Committee, whose main priority was to work towards closer cooperation with the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Union Military Staff (EUMS). The theme of the meeting centred on enhancing interoperability among the Finabel members. By taking over the Finabel flag at the closing ceremony, Slovak Land Forces Commander Brig Gen Ondřej Novosad symbolically confirmed Slovakia´s takeover of the Finabel chairmanship for the next year.
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PAINT SOLDIERS
SVK Minister of Defence M. Glváč, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen P. Vojtek and the SVK MOD's DEFENCE monthly magazine have announced the 13th Annual “Children Paint Soldiers” Competition for elementary school pupils. The participants of the competition are expected to forward their paintings together with their addresses, school addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth to the following address: OBRANA Editorial Office, Kutuzovova 8, 832 47 Bratislava. The deadline for submission of paintings is 19 May 2014. The authors of the best works in the categories of junior and senior pupils will receive valuable prizes and their works will be published on the SVK MOD´s website.
Recognizing military observers from Egypt and Syria (April 9) During the 9 April ceremony, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Peter Vojtek awarded medals entitled “For Service in Peacekeeping Observer Missions” to Maj Peter Husár and Capt Stanislav Plánka, who had returned from UNTSO under UN command in Syria and Egypt. Held in the Hall of Honour and Fame at the premises of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces in Bratislava, the awards-giving ceremony was also attended
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by Chief of the Strategic Crisis Management Centre Brig Gen Jindřich Joch. Both veterans also received the Commemorative Medals in Memory of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the SVK Armed Forces. Of the 21-month-long tour of duty, Maj Peter Husár had spent over a year in conflict-ridden Egypt and the rest in Syria. His colleague, Capt Plánka, had been deployed as an observer in Syria during his entire tour of duty.
April 7 - 13, 2014