DANCON MARCH 2015 at HKIA Base in Afghanistan “You are not competing with the others. You are competing with yourself. You are the only person who can set you back from reaching the finish line.” On 22 July, these words commenced the DANCON MARCH at HKIA Base in Afghanistan, organized by the Danish contingent. 242 multinational forces members from 12 countries stepped on the start of a 25 km track, all dressed in military uniforms and carrying at least 10kg burdens. Among others, in the race participated 7 members of the Slovak contingent, 2nd rotation of the Resolute Support mission, led by Maj Richard Beniak. The DANCON MARCH is held annually since 1972, when the Danish Royal Forces were assigned to Cyprus for the first time. It takes place in the location of the Danish units’ employment that year. Its goal is to test physical condition and stamina of soldiers, as well as to cement teams from different countries. The admission fee proceeds go to charity. ● 27 cadets from the US, led by Col Casey Randall, spend the 4th week of July in Rožňava garrison. They were introduced to the organizational structure, capabilities and performance of tasks of the rocket-launcher division. The members of the 2nd rocket-launcher battery offered a demonstration of the RM 7085 MODULAR. The cadets attended a seminar dealing with close combat techniques and demonstrations. In concert with members of the reconnaissance battery they took part in a competition in the small arms firing. The best riflemen received presents from the rocket-launcher division.
Tragedy in Prešov
(28 July) During its training flight, the SVK Armed Forces Mi-17 helicopter carrying a 3-member crew crashed near the village of Hradisko. One of the professional soldiers died, the other two were seriously injured and transported to hospitals. The helicopter took off at 1:30 pm from Prešov AFB. The crew were practicing landing in the field, when the control tower lost connection with them shortly after 2 pm. Straight after localizing the accident, SAR helicopter flew to the spot. The SVK Minister of Defence, Martin Glváč interrupted his vacation to visit the crash site. “We have taken necessary steps. The area has been secured, so that the experts from the Aviation Authority and the commission can continue in investigating the accident. Mi-17 helicopter flights were suspended immediately after the crash, excluding SAR helicopters,” stated the Minister. He expressed his sympathy to the family of the deceased pilot, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured soldiers. “I hope their state of health will soon improve. These are the most skilled pilots and a flight engineer, who have also participated in operations abroad,” added Martin Glváč. “I know the whole crew personally. I used to fly with all of them, but I cannot guess what went wrong, there are plenty of possibilities,” added Brig Miroslav Korba, SVK AF Commander. From the accident site, the SVK Minister of Defence moved along to Košice hospital to enquire about the injured soldier’s health. On 28 July, the Chief of the SVK General Staff, Lt Gen Milan Maxim set for a visit to the Slovak contingent of the UNFICYP mission on Cyprus, where he was welcomed by the Mission Troops Commander, Maj Gen Kristin Lund. Understandably, he discontinued his visit: “The helicopter crash in the eastern Slovakia was a tragedy, in which we lost one of our servicemen. I would like to offer my condolence to the family of the deceased pilot and to wish a speedy recovery to the other two crew members,” stated Lt Gen Milan Maxim. “The incident happened during a period of higher training intensity triggered by dynamically changing security situation. This again demonstrates that the occupation of a soldier pertains to the most hazardous ones.”
● After the lapse of one year, children from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, spending time at the international summer camp SOJUZ, made a visit to Sliač Airbase again. To follow the established tradition, the program of the summer camp included a visit to Sliač Airbase. The children had an opportunity to watch a demonstration of military cynology and to see a static display of MiG-29 and L-39 aircraft. The inherent part of the program is a traditional firefighting foam show. The firefighters from Sliač let the children try on the firefighting helmets and sit in the firefighting vehicles.
Change on the assistant post
(30 July) On 30 July, MSgt Peter Báleš ended his term in his capacity as assistant to the Chief NCO of the SVK Armed Forces at the SVK General Staff in Bratislava. Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Milan Maxim extended his thanks to him for the job well done and awarded him with the commemorative badge of Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces, 2nd Grade. MSgt Peter Báleš served at the SVK General Staff from February 2009. Starting from this week, he will serve at the post of a commanding NCO at Nitra Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. The position of a new assistant to the Chief NCO of the SVK Armed Forces CSM Vladimír Beluš was taken over by MSgt Eduard Chvalný.
● On Sunday, 25 July, a celebration was held on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of a birth of Gen Milan Rastislav Štefánik. The event was organized by SVK MoD and started with a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial plaque installed on the Museum of M.R. Štefánik, with a participation of the Guard of Honour of the SVK Armed Forces. The ceremony was graced with presence of Brig Gen Juraj Krištofovič and Col Ing Ivan Viselka from Military Police. The Police Enforcement Division provided riot control and traffic control patrols to ensure security, safety and a dignified and undisturbed course of the solemn event. ● On 20 – 24 July, members of the crisis management sections Vlkanová-Hronsek and Prešov took part in training aimed at the helicopter abseiling and other non-rope techniques. On the very first three days they practiced the basic techniques to be used after airdrop. Once these techniques were mastered, the instructors Capt Igor Lišanik and 1st Lt Martin Urban from TC Lešť presented the special techniques used in NATO armies. At the final exam consisting of airdrop from Mi-17, abseiling to an open terrain and gaining control of a roof of the designated building, the participants had to present all the skills they have gained. This specialized assignment was held for the first time after the tragic death of MSgt Ľubomír Igaz. ● In the period of May – July 2015, the transportation wing Kuchyňa hosted visit of children from the Church School Malacky, the Leisure Time Activities Centre Malacky, the Comenius Children’s University Bratislava, pre-school facilities and schools from Malacky and Skalica Districts. The soldiers prepared for them competitions in emergency treatment and transportation of the injured persons, in the firearms assembly and disassembly, in putting on a protective mask and other program. The beautiful coloured thank-you letters from the young visitors and prospective professional soldiers are still being delivered to the TW Kuchyňa.
New commander in Nitra (31 July) On 31 July, on the premises of the 12th mechanized battalion in Nitra, in the presence of Col Vladimír Kubáň, Commander of the 1st mechanized brigade, a handover/takeover ceremony was held on the occasion of handing/taking over a position of a battalion commander. The ceremony was graced with the presence of Col of the GS Miroslav Lorinc, Commander of the Anti-Aircraft Brigade and Commander of Nitra garrison. As of 1 August, to the position of Commander of the 12th mechanized battalion was appointed Lt Col Imrich Hanula, heretofore Deputy Commander of the 13th mechanized battalion Levice. The outgoing commander Lt Col Štefan Acsai has taken up the post of Chief of the Division of Planning and Control of Operations (G-3) at the 1st mechanized brigade Topoľčany.
Martin Glváč: “We have to be prepared for crisis situations that can arise.”
www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
(30 July) Building and protecting a refugee camp, patrolling at state borders, dealing with immigration wave from the territory of a neighbouring country, transporting refugees, managing various incidents and taking appropriate security measures on the territory of the Slovak Republic. During three days, almost 260 soldiers, police officers, firemen, members of other Ministry of Interior’s services, and the Red Cross members participated in a joint exercise dubbed New Horizon 2015 – another one of a series of unscheduled exercises initiated by the SVK Minister of Defence, Martin Glváč. “The global security situation is changing and migration issues also concern Slovakia. Thousands of immigrants arrive in Europe every day and we have to be prepared to deal with crisis situations that can arise. The exercise gives the soldiers an opportunity to rehear procedures to secure and control immigration waves, or to take adequate security measures,” stated the Head of the SVK MoD.
There was created a simulated refugee camp at Nitra Barracks, where registration procedures, methods of providing first aid and ensuring order were tested. At Kolíňanský Vrch Training Area, the soldiers also practised joint patrolling on the borders and actions to take against people smugglers.
eBULLETIN MoD SR
“The SVK Armed Forces are ready to perform the whole spectrum of tasks, as well as to assist the bodies of the state and local administrations. Yet, practicing and rehearsing joint actions in maintaining public order and in dealing with the influx of refugees is highly topical,” stated the Chief of the SVK General Staff, Lt Gen Milan Maxim. “By organizing a joint exercise together with the Ministry of Interior’s services in less than a month, which tested the set processes and procedures in case of a parallel crisis situation, the soldiers have shown extraordinary flexibility and capacity for action,” added the Vice Chief of the SVK General Staff, Lt Gen Peter Gajdoš. The SVK Armed Forces started to plan New Horizon 2015 at the beginning of July. The goal was to test co-ordination of actions of soldiers, police officers and the Migration Office in dealing with non -military threats posed to the Slovak Republic.
July 27 - August 2, 2015