New Year seen in by 20-volley salutes at river-bank
(1 January) The gunners from the Michalovce-based self-propelled artillery division welcomed the New Year in Bratislava at the river-bank Tyršovo nábrežie. A volley of festive salute rang out at 14.00 hrs on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Republic and of the SVK Armed Forces. “I am most glad to see that we take this opportunity to commemorate the establishment of the independent Slovak Republic and its Armed Forces. The Slovak Republic is viewed as a trustworthy and credible country and I am most pleased to see that our soldiers, be that at home or abroad, bring a great credit on the Slovak Republic,” stated the State Secretary of SVK Ministry of Defence Miloš Koterec. The gunners fired volley salutes from six 122-mm D-30A howitzers. The first volley salute of the then newly-established tradition rang out in Bratislava on 1 January 1994.
● On 17 December, Maj Gen Dieter Heidecker concluded his 2-year service as the EUFOR Commander. At a ceremonial gathering in Camp Butmir, operation Commander Gen Sir Adrian Bradshaw submitted the command of EUFOR to Maj Gen Johann Luif from Austria. Maj Gen Luif had worked as the KFOR Deputy Commander in Kosovo and later as the Commander of the military district of Burgenland. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, within EUFOR (operation ALTHEA), there serve 35 SVK Armed Forces professional soldiers, and one professional soldier serves at NATO HQ in Sarajevo.
Sportswoman of the Year
(22 December) A biathlonist Anastasia Kuzmina has become the best Slovak sportswoman of the year 2014. SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč presented her with the award during a gala evening in a new building of the Slovak National Theatre. The other two sportsmen and one sportswoman from the Military Sport Centre Dukla Banská Bystrica – Matej Tóth, Adam Žampa and Martina Hrašnová – rank among the first ten most successful sportsmen of the Slovak Republic in 2014. Dukla representatives can also be found in the ranking of teams, where 3xC1 team ended second, the members of the team being also Michal Martikán and Alexander Slafkovský. “Thanks to our sportsmen and sportswomen, the Slovak fans could enjoy lots of unforgettable experience and Slovakia can be justly proud of them. That is why I would like to assure you all that also in the upcoming year we will do our best to create optimal conditions for the sportsmen in our military sport centre, and on behalf of all of us let me express a big thanks to our sportsmen,” said SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč. On this occasion he expressed his acknowledgement to all the coaches and employees of MSC Dukla Banská Bystrica.
● On 18 December, during a session of the Military Board of the Military Police Director, at the Military Police Trenčín, Mons. František Rábek, SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps Ordinary, on the occasion of reserve Col Jozef Žiak’s jubilee, awarded him the St. Sebastian Medal 2nd Class for his work in the departmental monthly Defence and his credits in service for the SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps Ordinariate. ● Col Milan Hamar, Military Police Director, on 30 December, handed over a letter of thanks for a significant share in co-operation with the Military Police to Emil Košút, Director of the Defence Standardization, Codification and State Verification Office. Col Hamar also handed over letters of thanks to MSgt Ľubomír Bobák for his work for the Military Police, upon termination of his employment, and to Capt Ján Fábik upon termination of his assignment. He awarded Maj Ľubomír Robot the Military Police Medal 1st class (gold) for his work for the Military Police, upon termination of his employment. ● Members of the SVK Land Forces, on 2 January, gathered for a joint ceremonial muster to listen to the SVK Prezident’s speech dedicated to the 22nd anniversary of the foundation of the Slovak Republic. Brig Juraj Krištofovič, SVK Land Forces Deputy Commander, on behalf of the Land Forces Commander, thanked them for accomplishing tasks of the training year 2014. He emphasized that the SVK Land Forces Command would go the extra mile for developing optimum conditions for fulfilling this year’s tasks.
Start of the last rotation
(19 December) Upon return of the second part of the 22nd Slovak Contingent rotation’s units, performing tasks in the operation ISAF in Afghanistan, a welcome ceremonial parade took place at the premises of the Combined Wing Sliač. The ceremony saw Brig Jindřich Joch, Commander of the SVK General Staff Crisis Management Joint Centre; Col Ján Dreveňák, Deputy Chief of the SVK Land Forces Staff; Col Ľubomír Šebo, Commander of the 5th Special Forces Regiment; and Col Vladimír Lisý, GS, Combined Wing Commander, together with other Armed Forces representatives and guests. Brig Joch talked about the demanding tasks the units had had to perform in Afghanistan, and expressed his thanks, appreciation and satisfaction with efforts of every single operation member. The Contingent Commander’s introduction word was followed by the decoration of soldiers with the SVK Minister of Defence Medals for their service in the operation. Selected Contingent members were rewarded with material gifts.
SVK MoD and referendum
(22 December) SVK Ministry of Defence encourages neither the members of the SVK Armed Forces, nor the Ministry employees to attend the upcoming referendum on marriage and family. The contrary is a misinterpretation of military chaplains’ appeal, who have published it on the web page of the SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps Ordinariate (AFACO) and the SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps Ecumenical Pastoral Service HQ (ACAC EPS HQ). The page looks similar to that of the SVK MoD, however, it is not administered by the SVK MoD Communication Division, but by the representatives of the SVK AFACO and the ACAC EPS HQ. The SVK MoD does not present itself with such appeal or recommendation.
Minister Glváč gets in touch with troops in deployed operations and missions
www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
(22 December) On Christmas Eve, SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč and Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Milan Maxim got in touch, via internet, with commanders of the Slovak contingents in deployed military operations and missions. They wished a merry Christmas to all the Slovak soldiers who were to spend Christmas far from home, without their families. As a symbolic present from Head of the Defence Department, the soldiers who were not on duty were granted an exemption allowing a toast on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve. „Allow me to wish you all the best,
namely sound health, since we all distinctly remember the tragic event that happened last year at this time,” said Minister of Defence when talking to the commander of the SVK contingent in Afghanistan Lt Col Pavel Švelka. Lt Col Švelka confirmed that at Christmas, the soldiers will be given an opportunity to get in touch with their families at least via telephone. The soldiers extended their greeting to the Minister of Defence from Afghanistan also via Skype and wished a merry Christmas to the people in Slovakia. Head of the Defence Department contacted also Lt Col Ladislav Kisel, the
eBULLETIN MoD SR
commander of the SVK contingent in EUFOR ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I am aware of the fact that in an operation like this there is not much time left for rest but I do believe that you will spend a peaceful Christmas,” said Head of the Defence Department. “During Christmas, we will be at four different places but we are going to prepare Christmas food typical for Slovakia at every one of these places. It will be a sauerkraut soup, potato salad and fish. All the ingredients we have from Slovakia,” responded Lt Col Kisel. The Slovak troops performing tasks in
UNFICYP operation in Cyprus will not savour a carp this year. “It is impossible to get a carp here, but in any case we will have a fish,” said the commander of the SVK contingent to UNFICYP Lt Col Jaroslav Bitala. At the same time, he confirmed that the soldiers will continue to perform their tasks in Cyprus also at the Christmas time. One Slovak soldier served during Christmas also in an observer mission UNTSO. “This is not the first Christmas that I have to spend far from my family but I will make up for it at the end of January, when I shall leave for home”, said Major Jozef Kasl.
December 22, 2014 - January 4, 2015