High schoolers competed in Lešť
(2 July) The Aliante 2014 international civil defence and sporting competition was held from 30 June to 5 July in the Training Centre Lešť. Its main purpose was to raise students’ awareness about history, geography, politics and, above all, security issues and NATO. The competition’s finals were held in Slovakia for the second time. Boys and girls from Montenegro, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovakia, Canada, Turkey, Poland, Georgia and the Czech Republic were split into 15 teams and had to overcome the CISM obstacle course, get through a water obstacle range on boats and run while wearing helmets and protective vests. Other events waiting for students to overcome included a shooting simulator, the Jakub climbing simulator, a cross-country run, rock climbing, getting through a waterway as well as a knowledge contest and topographical and health training courses. The team composed of Slovak and Georgian members won the competition, the Czech-Croatian team finished second and the Georgian-Croatian squad got the third place. Winners can look forward to an interesting excursion trip across Germany. They will get to know the country as well as its Armed Forces. Besides members of the Training Centre Lešť, the competition was prepared also by representatives of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces and members of the Levice-based Mechanized Battalion and Martin-based Training Battalion. ● As of 1 July 2014, Brigade of combat support, Training battalion and Base of mobile communications and information systems is subject to the command of the Land Forces. So far, the above units have been subordinated to the Training and Support Forces Headquarters. Equally, ISTAR battalion has been set up in garrison Prešov and units CIMIC and PSYOPS have been established in Martin. Part of the change undergone was also the establishment of a position of the SVK Land Forces Deputy Commander for Support, which was taken by Brigadier General Juraj Krištofovič, who will cooperate with the acting Deputy Commander of the SVK Land Forces Col of GS Karol Navrátil. The other changes linked with reorganization will be taking place gradually and shall have been completed by 1 November 2014, when Training and Support Forces Headquarters shall have merged with the Land Forces Headquarters.
Presidency will be challenging (1 July) Successful comple on of crea ng the joint V4 Ba legroup, prepara on and planning of joint exercises and strengthening coopera on among V4 defence industries – these are the main priori es of the Defence Department during Slovakia’s year-long presidency, which started on 1 July. “Coopera on in the field of defence is one of the key priori es of Slovakia’s presidency. Our goal is to begin projects that we agreed on with our partners during previous presidencies. Their realiza on will be a challenge for us,” stated SVK Minister of Defence Mar n Glváč. He stressed the fact that the prepara on of the V4 EU Ba legroup remains to be the key project. According to the Minister, annual V4 joint exercises should be an important element. “We endorse the idea to reform the V4 Ba legroup to a joint mul na onal ba alion, which could be used as a contribu on to NATO and the EU. It is these joint exercises that should contribute to the harmoniza on of individual countries’ capabili es,” explained Minister Glváč. Following the previous discussions, as he further commented, the V4 countries should also strengthen their coopera on in defence planning, joint equipment acquisi ons, airspace protec on as well as in the field of defence industries. The Head of the Defence Department confirmed the interest which he presented to his V4 colleagues during the last mee ng in Brussels: “I see no reason why we should not invite Ukraine’s Defence Minister to a common mee ng, with whom we could discuss the possibility of coopera on and Ukraine’s contribu on to the V4 Ba legroup as well.”
● On Monday, 30 June, a ceremonial parade was held in the military area Bratislava – Vajnory on the occasion of Headquarters of Garrison Bratislava being subjected to direct subordination of Chief of the Defence Staff of the SVK Armed Forces. The ceremony was graced by presence of Commander of the SVK Training and Support Forces Col Martin Stoklasa and 2nd Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Maj Gen Pavel Macko. Lt Col Roman Grnáč handed over the command of the Guard of Honour of the SVK Armed Forces to Lt Col Walter Teiml and took a post of Deputy Commander of the Garrison Bratislava HQs. The outgoing commanding non-commissioned officer of the Garrison Bratislava HQs Sgt Maj Helmut Polin handed over his position to Sgt Maj Gabriel Zelei.
RAF veteran’s return
(3 July) After more than 98 years, a former member of the Czechoslovak Army in France and the Czechoslovak air units in Great Britain, operating under the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Pavel Chlapík symbolically returned home. A commemoration ceremony was held in the town of Melčice – Lieskové on 3 July, where his ashes were laid to rest in a family grave. Among guests present at the ceremony was also Col Martin Stoklasa, Trenčín Garrison and Training and Support Forces Commander, and Col Vladimír Samek, former SVK Defence Attaché in the UK. Pavol Chlapík left to France in February 1940, where he became a member of the Czechoslovak Army. After the surrender of France, he went to the UK, where he served in No. 312 Czechoslovak Squadron RAF and in other air units. After the commemoration service, Edward, son of Pavol Chlapík, handed over father’s military medals and decorations to Miroslav Matiáš, Mayor of Melčice – Lieskové.
● On 2 July, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of establishment of the SVK Training and Support Forces, a ceremonial parade of members of the TSF HQs was held. Commander of SVK TSF Col Martin Stoklasa evaluated the history of operation of the Forces within the organizational structure of the SVK Armed Forces, the establishment and development of TSF Headquarters in time. He introduced also the planned changes as to the TSF structure, in compliance with the approved 54th amendment to the Directive of Chief of the Defence Staff of the SVK Armed Forces to implement organizational changes in the SVK Armed Forces in 2014. On this occasion, TSF Commander awarded the selected members of the HQs with a Commemorative Deed of the Commander for the job well-done on behalf of the HQs and its subordinated units. ● On 30 June – 4 July, a specialized training of experts from OPCW countries (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) was held in the premises of the Training Analytical and Supply Centre CBRN Čereňany, organized in cooperation with the SVK Ministry of Economy. Experts from Argentina, China, Cuba, India, Jordan, Philippines, Serbia and Ukraine took part in the training. On the premises of the Stationary identification laboratory, the trainees learned about the basis principles and rules pertaining to the handling of toxic chemical agents. The exercise was completed by training of teams, which were tasked to carry out evaluation of the situation, sampling, and decontamination of the affected locations, as well as transportation of samples and the elementary field analysis. ● On 2 June, a ceremonial parade was held on the premises of the Dukla barracks on the occasion of awarding one hundred and sixteen members of the Guard of Honour of the President of the Slovak Republic with Letters of Commendation, which were presented to them by Chief of the Military Office of the President of the Slovak Republic. The awards for discipline and excellent performance of their service duties linked with executing military honours during inaugural ceremony of the President of the Slovak Republic were granted to them by disciplinary orders of Chief of the Military Office of the President of the Slovak Republic and Commander of the Guard of Honour of the President of the Slovak Republic.Commander of the Force protection platoon of the HQs Support Battalion Lieutenant Mária Brtáňová read out letters of appreciation by directors of schools where members of the unit presented activities of the unit and of the Slovak Armed Forces as a whole.
Plan of bilateral cooperation
(3 July) Director of International Relations Division of Defence Planning Department of the SVK MOD Ľubomír Tokár met with Director of Division of military attachés of the Ministry of Defence and Sport of the Republic of Austria Brig Gen Peter Vorhofer and with Defence attaché of the Republic of Austria to the Slovak Republic Col Nicolaus Rottenberger. They negotiated the issue of bilateral cooperation in the field of domestic crisis management. Ľubomír Tokár informed the Austrian party of a workshop organized by the Strategic centre of the crisis management of the General Staff of the Slovak Republic, which is to be held in August 2014. They also discussed regional cooperation within CEDC and plans of the Slovak V4 Presidency. At the end of the meeting, the partners signed the Plan of bilateral cooperation between SVK MOD and the Austrian Ministry of Defence and Sport for the year 2014, which encompasses altogether 11 activities.
We want to reach agreements within V4 that would bring work to SVK arms industry companies
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(1 July) Among his V4 colleagues, Minister of Defence Martin Glváč want to promote projects that would help develop the Slovak arms industry. For companies located in the Považie region, a contract for the overhaul of the DANA, a self-propelled gun howitzer in service with the Polish Armed Forces, would particularly mean a great help. DMD Group General Director Viliam Dubovický confirmed that such project would create hundreds of jobs. “We want to bring work to our arms industry companies and I will do my best to reach balanced agreements and help develop the Slovak arms industry,” stated the Head of the Defence Department, who revealed his intention
symbolically on the first day of the Slovak presidency in the V4. He stressed on the fact that it is important for the Defence Department to not only promote employment by this way, but also improve revenue from VAT: “After an agreement with the Finance Minister, we can use these funds on modernization projects.” In the last year, the Ministry earmarked funds for the repair of all artillery systems ZUZANA, and currently all of them are fully functional. The ZUZANA 2, which by now is in full compliance with NATO standards, passed the Army’s testing. „The fight for contracts is essential for the survival of arms industry companies in these times. The
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arms industry was once Slovakia’s pride and therefore I am pleased to see its renewed rise thanks to the support of current projects from the MoD, as well as from the Czech Republic and Poland,” said Viliam Dubovický. He confirmed that without political support of the project, it wouldn’t have been high on a priority list of neighbouring countries. „They would not have to decide for modernization in these times,“ added Minister Glváč. Lt Gen Milan Maxim, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces, praised products manufactured by Slovak arms industry companies as well.
June 30 - July 6, 2014