EU Military Committee Chairman visits Slovakia
(26 June) Upon invitation by Chief of the Defence Staff Lt Gen Milan Maxim, Gen Patrick de Rousiers, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, visited Slovakia. Top on the agenda of talks with the SVK Chief of the Defence Staff were the EU´s security and defence policy issues, the SVK Armed Forces´ engagement in crisis management operations and the EU Member State´s cooperation options in the field of defence capabilities development. Gen Patrick de Rousiers was updated on the preparation of the V4 Battle Group declared for deployment as part of the EU Rapid Reaction Force, which is to be on stand-by in the first half of 2016. Slovakia is to assume the lead role in the field of chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) protection. The Chairman of the European Union Military Committee gave a briefing entitled the EU Common Security and Defence Policy in the Context of the EU Council's Session in December 2013 at the premises of the Ministry of Defence. On Friday, Gen Patrick de Rousiers made a tour of the Training Centre Lešť and visited Airfield Sliač. ● In accordance with Directive of Chief of the General Staff on preparation of the Slovak Armed Forces in the training year 2014, social science workshops were run at military units in June, focusing on the topic of The Slovak National Uprising from a military perspective. These seminars, targeted at members of military units VU 1115 Ružomberok, VU 3333 Zvolen and VU 3030 Zvolen, were organized by staff of the Educational and Cultural Activities Division of the Personnel Office of the Slovak Armed Forces based in Liptovský Mikuláš. The lectures were given by Mgr. Juraj Šimko, PhD. As a part of the seminar, the exhibition of fine arts on the theme of the SNU was held, exhibiting works by the distinguished Slovak and Czech artists and depository holdings of a high cultural value. ● On 25 – 26 June, cynologist of Military Police unit based in Prešov Sgt 1st Class Peter Macko conducted on-the-job training of dog handlers and service dogs of Military Police, in conjunction with the Cynology Division of the District Directorate of Police Corps based in Svidník. Dog handlers and service dogs practiced patrolling, detection of explosives and drugs.
Physical tests get tougher (26 June) The SVK Armed Forces will get tough on checking the results of physical tests of service personnel as part of their physical readiness. This follows from the task assigned by Minister of Defence of Mar n Glváč, who gave orders to Chief of the Defence Staff Lt Gen Milan Maxim to ensure thorough compliance with respec ve guidelines in this field. The head of the defence establishment thus responded to the ini a ves of SVK Armed Forces members. “The soldier´s profession is excep onally demanding and requires physical readiness at the highest level. To keep oneself in good physical condi on is one of the basic du es of each professional soldier. In the military, we wish to have personnel who are up to the job,” said the Minister of Defence. Physical readiness is one of the condi ons for being admi ed to the state service of professional soldiers. SVK MOD officials seek to create the best condi ons for service in the armed forces. The new Professional Soldiers' State Service Act, which is in the legisla ve review process, guarantees several benefits to soldiers. On the other hand, soldiers must reckon with increased requirements on physical readiness levels. “The physical readiness standards equally apply to all, ranging from the 1st grade soldier to the general. Therefore, I consider it necessary to supervise the standards more thoroughly,” said Chief of the Defence Staff Lt Gen Milan Maxim.
50 Years UNFICYP
(26 June) The State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic Miloš Koterec visited Cyprus on 26 June, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the UN peacekeeping mission UNFICYP. Together with Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, they awarded 35 members of SVK Armed Forces with the UNFICYP Medal for meritorious service. With Minister of Defence Christoforos Fokaides, they concurred that the EU membership and the joint security and defence policy present a framework for further development and strengthening of defence cooperation, particularly in the field of education and training and in several fields of domestic crisis management.
● Since 16 June, prior to their deployment to UNFICYP peacekeeping operation within the rotation planned for September 2014, 81 soldiers have been undergoing four-week joint specialized predeployment training on the premises of the Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade. The training is aimed at preparation of the staff, force protection company and support elements. The final part of the training will be held in the premises of the garrison training area Kolíňanský vrch, where the soldiers will have to cope with the demanding tasks of a final tactical exercise on the level of the unit. The results of the training will be one of the key selection criteria for concrete positions within the Slovak contingent in UNFICYP that the commission of the Headquarters of the Slovak Air Force will consider. ● On 25 June, Brigadier General Gábor Böröndi, Deputy Commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces and Commander of the Hungarian Land Forces, arrived at the Slovak Land Forces Headquarters in Trenčín for a two-day working visit. He was welcomed by Commander of the Land Forces Brigadier General Ondřej Novosad. They discussed forms of cooperation in the field of training in 2015 and 2016. The program of the visit included a tour round the military training area Lešť. ● On 23 – 27 June, a course COLPRO 300 was held in the 11th mechanized battalion Martin, led by instructors from the Training battalion. 51 professional soldiers passed the course. Having completed the course, the participants were fully conversant with construction and operation of the equipment that facilitates performance of operational tasks in contaminated environment. It was the first training where three systems COLPRO 300 were interconnected, putting up an effective collective defence for troops deployed in operations, with an overall capacity of 360 persons. The aim was to train operators of assets of collective defence, in different situations, both for the needs of the Slovak Armed Forces and for the civilian sector. ● On 24 – 25 June, the 3rd Annual Competition of individual teams of Military Police units was held on the premises of the Military Police Training and Cynology Centre in Vlkanová. In the competition took part the teams of two from military police units Prešov, Banská Bystrica and Bratislava, assisted by a service dog and a dog handler. For the third time again, the competition was won by the team from Military Police unit based in Bratislava, composed of a commander Capt Štefan Pokus and a crime scene technician MSgt Jozef Minčev. The latter was awarded as the best crime scene technician of Military Police.
Art Film Fest with MoD
(23 June) A film premiere The Assassination of Heydrich – The Story of Jozef Gabčík and Ján Kubiš was held at the international Art Film Fest in a cinema hall Kúpeľná dvorana in Trenčianske Teplice on Monday, 23 June. The film made by a journalist Veronika Tóthová is a unique reconstruction of an assassination attempt on the Acting Reich-Protector of Bohemia and Moravia Reinhard Heydrich. In production of the film were also involved SVK Ministry of Defence and members of the 5th Special Forces Regiment Žilina. The international film festival Art Film Fest 2014, held in Trenčianske Teplice and Trenčín, offered a program section dubbed War and Film, with the involvement of SVK MOD as a partner. One of the accompanying events was a performance by Military Band of SVK Armed Forces and in a foyer of the Garrison Club Trenčín, the visitors could see an exhibition devoted to the 70th anniversary of an outbreak of the Slovak National Uprising.
Children's Day with SVK Armed Forces makes kids from entire Slovakia happy
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(28 June) The first Saturday during the holiday period belonged to children – demonstrations of an EOD team's activity, of armaments and equipment, and of fighting in built-up areas. All this and a lot more could be seen by hundreds of kids and their parents at the 17th Children's Day with the SVK Armed Forces, which was held in Bojnice. Soldiers showed close combat demonstrations, an Mi-17 helicopter flew over the city and members of the 5th Special Forces Regiment from Žilina carried out an airdrop. Also, visitors saw a helicopter attacking an IFV vehicle as well as MP working dog handlers in action. “All children in the world deserve to live in peace which is very fragile. I think the Children's Day with the SVK Armed Forces is an ideal opportunity to show to can have a peaceful childhood. A lot of efforts and the public that the SVK Armed Forces and their resources must be spent on towards this purpose,” said missions provide an assurance that our kids and youth Chief of the Defence Staff Lt Gen Milan Maxim.
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During the event, kids could try out marching with soldiers, see military promotion videos as well as documentaries commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising in a field cinema. The visitors could use a Dukla Banská Bystrica Army Sports Club simulator for sportsmen and women, and kids decorated an army tank as part of the “army modernization through the eyes of kids” initiative. Soldiers made sweet and potato pancakes for them in the field kitchen. During the Children's Day with the SVK Armed Forces, singer Martin Harich, pupils from Bojnice Elementary Arts School and the Maguranček brass band created a rich cultural programme. Dancing performances were put on by girls from the SoFly hiphop dance group, the Mimikry scenic dance group and the Break Fans group.
June 23 - 29, 2014