Preparations for SLOVAK SHIELD 2015 underway (9 April) The long-term preparation process for organizing the international SLOVAK SHIELD 2015 exercise kicked off at an initial planning conference, which took place on 8 - 9 April at the SVK Land Forces HQ in Trenčín. The goal of the conference was to brief the participants on the tasks that had hitherto been accomplished, to carry out an inspection of the training grounds at the Lešť Training Area, and analyze other tasks. Apart from SVK professional soldiers, the conference was attended by soldiers from the USA, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Poland. Led by Col Ľudovít Valentíny, Chief of the SVK Land Forces HQ Combat Training Division, the participants discussed the exercise scenario, logistics support and other issues. The conference drew joint conclusions, which will be discussed at the follow-up working sessions and meetings. Exercise SLOVAK SHIELD will be held in the second half of 2015. It will consist of a series of training activities based on a joint scenario, and offer training opportunities for all levels of the SVK Armed Forces’ command and control. ● The gates of the Training Battalion opened on 8 April to receive the 185 soldier trainees - “candidates of the preparatory state service”, reporting to the battalion to commence the basic military training. Of them, 13 were women. After undergoing in-processing procedures and drawing stores, the newcomers were assigned to different training platoons. The passing-out parade for the soldier trainees is scheduled for June 2015.
V4 Senior Body
(9 April) On 8 - 9 April, the State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence, Miloš Koterec met with his Visegrad Group partners in Modra. As a representative of the presiding country, he chaired the second session of defence ministries officials meeting in the format of the Senior Body (i.e. a consultative body of high representatives), aimed at addressing the defence issues of the V4 countries. The main task of the Senior Body is to identify the areas of common interest, steer the strategic direction of defence cooperation, and continuously monitor the performance of assigned tasks. For its next session, due to take place on 23 April in Tomášov near Bratislava, the V4 Senior Body has finalised proposals for documents and activities to further strengthen common defence cooperation. The main theme of the talks was the V4 Defence Cooperation Action Plan, which had been formulated by the Slovak Republic. According to Miloš Koterec, the plan “defines the main contours of defence cooperation and will serve as a framework document for future V4 presidencies. We are convinced that it will ensure continuity of defence cooperation within the group, formed of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and that its fulfilment will yield new and very concrete results.” Other current issues discussed at the meeting included V4 cooperation on joint defence planning, airspace protection, permanent defence modular capability, as well as the joint V4 EU Battle Group, which is to be on stand-by in the first half of 2016 and again operational in 2019. Also, the V4 Senior Body discussed a strategy for military training and exercises.
● The Redundant Property Base Nemecká (RPB Nemecká), operating under the SVK MOD’s Property Management Agency, organized a blood donation event on 19 March. Of the 32 blood donors, 14 were professional soldiers. For Sgt 1st Class Peter Vlček, this was the 52nd time he had donated blood. This blood donation was organized at the RPB Nemecká for the first time, thanks to the collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Service - Workstation Banská Bystrica. ● Unín, a municipality in Western Slovakia, remembered the 70th anniversary of its liberation and the end of WWII battles with a commemorative event on 9 April, supported also by the Bratislava Garrison Headquarters (Bratislava GAR HQ) units. The delegation, accompanied by the SVK Armed Forces Honour Guard members, laid wreaths at a memorial plaque. Also in attendance was the 2nd Vice-Chief of the SVK General Staff, Maj Gen Pavel Macko, who, as part of the commemorations programme at the local cultural centre, delivered a speech on the ongoing tasks of the SVK Armed Forces. ● The SVK Force Contingent members deployed with the UNFICYP peacekeeping mission in Cyprus have been engaged in making their military environment cosy. They have already reshaped the area around the fountain at the NCO Club in Camp Štefánik in Famagusta, painting the walls of the local gym and adding clothes hangers and shelves for storing personal items. More and more service personnel are being attracted to the renovated gym for workout. ● From 30 March through 2 April, the Canine and Training Division Vlkanová - Hronsek (K9 TRN DIV Vlkanová Hronsek) saw 18 SVK Armed Forces personnel partaking in the Drivers with the Right of Way Course. At the same time, 11 SVK Armed Forces members were undergoing the ALIGATOR 4×4 Mobile Command Post Vehicle Drivers Course. In addition, between 31 March and 2 April, the K9 TRN DIV Vlkanová - Hronsek hosted an instructional-methodological training, Close Combat. The focus was on rehearsing attack and application techniques and standard operating procedures for close combat within the Military Police Branch. ● The Training Battalion, based in Martin, organized a tracked vehicles driving course, while using the BVP Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and the OT-90 armoured combat vehicles. After successfully passing theoretical and practical tests, the course graduates were awarded certificates of attendance and respective driving licences for the IFV and the OT-90 combat vehicles.
Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters for sale (10 April) The SVK Ministry of Defence is to put its redundant Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters again up for sale in an electronic bidding auction. A total of 7 helicopters in two configurations are on offer. The decision to dispose of the surplus capabilities was made by the former MOD officials in the years 2010 2011. The invitation for bid (IFB) in an electronic auction was officially released on the SVK MOD’s website (www.mosr.sk) and on the website of the Registry of State Property on Offer (www.ropk.sk). The former SVK MOD officials made the Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopters redundant due to the end of their life cycle. One set of helicopters was sold as part of competitive bidding in 2013. The SVK MOD attempted to sell the rest of them in an electronic auction in July 2014. Potential bidders are invited to inspect the helicopters on 19 May. The electronic auction itself is scheduled for 3 June. To qualify for the inspection of helicopters, the companies must be holders of a licence for trading with defence industry products.
10th jubilee for MRLS DET (1 April) The Multiple Rocket Launcher System Detachment (MRLS DET) members in Rožňava held a commemoration ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the MRLS DET becoming successfully embedded into the structure of the SVK Armed Forces as an indispensable component of the SVK Land Forces. In his speech at the ceremony, Maj Ľubomír Bodnár, MRLS DET Deputy Commander, evoked the history of the MRLS DET and highlighted the unit’s special expertise within the SVK Land Forces’ artillery branch. He extended his thanks to the MRLS DET staff for their everyday input and exemplary performance of duties. Involving both military personnel and civilian employees, the gathered audience were also addressed by Lt Col Oliver Toderiška, CBRN Defence Commander and Rožňava Garrison Commander, respectively. At the end of the commemoration ceremony, the MRLS DET military and civilian staff were awarded the SVK Armed Forces Loyalty Medal and the Chief of the SVK Armed Forces General Staff Badge.
Maj Gen Pavel Macko attends United Nations conference in New York
www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
Representing the Chief of the SVK General Staff, Maj Gen Pavel Macko, 2nd Vice Chief of the SVK General Staff, participated in the United Nations Chiefs of Defence Conference, which was held on 26 - 27 March in New York. The goal of the gathering was to increase the awareness of peacekeeping operations and facilitate cooperation. The conference was opened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who, in his opening remarks, referred to this historic milestone of 108 Chiefs of Defence coming together at the first-ever UN Chiefs of Defence Conference. Hervé Ladsous, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, delivered an introductory speech entitled “UN Peacekeeping Operations in the Current Political, Strategic and Operational En-
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vironment”. Top on the agenda in the field of crisis management was the Regional European Conference on Support of UN Peacekeeping Missions and gender equality. Also discussed were new challenges arising out of the complexity of missions and operations in the strategic and operational environment. At the end of the conference, the participants agreed on a joint communiqué. The conference enabled them to fully comprehend the current challenges of peacekeeping missions and their requirements. Furthermore, it emphasized the need for appropriate training, equipment and armaments, so that the UN is ready to stand up to new threats and identify the areas in which it needs to be supported by the UN member states.
April 6 - 12, 2015