Chief of the General Staff negotiating in Istanbul
On 11 – 13 September, Lt Gen Milan Maxim attended the annual Conference of the NATO Military Committee in Istanbul. The topical issue was preparedness and readiness of the Alliance to meet the new security challenges resulting from the rapidly changing security environment. Chiefs of Defence from NATO countries discussed the particular tasks to be implemented within the Readiness Action Plan (RAP) with respect to the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw. Equally, they focused on the military aspects of the long-term institutional adaptation of NATO. In the context of the ongoing NATO operations, CHODs exchanged their views and positions on the security situation in the West Balkans and Afghanistan. They also discussed the role of the Alliance in the future, after the scheduled termination of the operation Resolute Support. At the end of the negotiations, CHODs elected Lt Gen Jan Broeks from the Netherlands as the new Director General of the NATO International Military Staff. He will assume the position in summer next year. ● The international aerial exercise dubbed AMPLE STRIKE 2015, taking place in the Czech Republic and aimed at coordination of activities of forward air controllers during the ground support of the land forces, has commenced its second part. During the first week, aircraft and helicopters were guided to ground targets more than 800 times. Neither emergency situations, nor violation of the flight safety occurred during the performance of the activities. Members of the SVK AF were highly successful in performing the tasks of the first part of the exercise. The second part of AMPLE STRIKE 2015 is directed at increasing training demands. The change of exercise scenarios means increased demands on preparation, flexibility and accuracy of crews in performing the aerial support in co-operation with forward air controllers.
Minister received in audience by Pope Francis
(16 September) On Wednesday, within the 10th national pilgrimage of the Armed Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic, SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Róbert Kaliňák and Minister of Justice Tomáš Borec were received in general audience by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. “I am highly honoured to meet the Holy Father. I assured Pope Francis that ecclesiastical service and chaplaincy had become an intrinsic part of the Defence Department and that we continue to create ample space for their further development,” said Minister of Defence Glváč after the audience. He presented Head of the Catholic Church with a woodcut OravaWooden Cottages, made by a wood-carver Róbert Veselý. Prior to his meeting with Pope Francis, Head of the Defence Department attended the Solemn Mass celebrated by the Ordinary of the Armed Forces and Armed Corps of the Slovak Republic Mons. František Rábek in Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. As part of his visit to Vatican, Martin Glváč met also with Domenico Giani, Inspector General of the Vatican’s Police Force and the chief bodyguard of Pope Francis, and Christoph Graf, Commander of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, who introduced him to the history and main tasks of the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State and Pontifical Guard.
Preparation at Turecký vrch
(14 September) In the period of 10 – 14 September 2015, at Turecký vrch Military Training Area, preparation of the detached Slovak declared contribution took place. The contribution is on stand-by since 1 April until the end of this calendar year to be deployed to the operation EUFOR-ALTHEA as a ready reserve of its commander (IR ALTHEA). Within the tactical exercise, Martin-based Company particularly rehearsed stabilization activities – patrolling, surveillance, maintenance of security, protection of infrastructure, establishment of checkpoints, search for and detention of persons.
● On 17 September, members of the SVK AF remembered Slovak Military Aviation Day during a commemoration ceremony. Brig Korba called on the members of the SVK AF Command to appreciate determination, selflessness and courage of those who served in the Slovak military aviation in the past, and especially those who lost their lives fighting for freedom. At the end of the ceremony, Brig Korba awarded selected members of the SVK AF with the title of honour Merited Military Aviator of the SVK Armed Forces for their exceptional credits in establishment and development of aviation and exceptional credits in increasing combat readiness of military aviation. ● Within training activities of this year’s largest military exercise Slovak Shield 2015, other training activities of the SVK Armed Forces units were performed as well. One of them was relocation of some parts of Nitra-based Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade from their permanent deployment to reserve fire positions. The exercise also saw members of 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Group S-300PMU, who have returned from the combat live fire exercise held at Cape Shabla (Bulgaria). Together with members of 2nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Group 2K 12 KUB, they demonstrated again a high level of specialized readiness and ability to perform tasks. ● On the occasion of welcoming the members of the SVK Armed Forces who served in the operation EUFOR-ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a welcoming ceremony took place at the Training Battalion on 17 September. The ceremony saw Col Zoltán Iboš, Chief of the Operational Planning and Control Division of the SVK Land Forces Command (SVK LFC); Lt Col Ladislav Kisel, Commander of June 2014 rotation of SLOVCON in the operation EUFOR-ALTHEA; together with Lt Col Róbert Kecsö, Training Battalion Commander, and other guests. Following the speech given by Col Iboš, the members of the SVK Armed Forces were awarded with SVK Minister of Defence Medals for participation in a military mission. 14 of them were also awarded with the Military Veteran Badges. Chief of the Operational Planning and Control Division of the SVK LFC handed out the Chief of the SVK General Staff gifts to the best members of the rotation.
For better coordination
(16 September) The units of the 21st multinational task force took part in the next one of the series of tactical exercises, which was held at the water training site of the Training Area of the Military District Lešť with the aim to rehearse water crossing operations using the tactical airdrop with support of the engineer reconnaissance units. This is one of the main capabilities of the 21st MNTF, which will be certified during the battalion tactical exercise to be held on 22 – 24 September. Preparation continued with the civilian – military assessment of the area of interest. The assessment, which serves as a basis for analyses that are vital for an effective conduct of operations, was carried out in the villages Dačov Lom and Litava. The fact that five Hungarian psychological operations specialists from CIMIC Centre and PSYOPS Centre of the Hungarian Land Forces and six members of the Army of the Czech Republic from the 103rd CIMIC and PSYOPS Centre took part in the event considerably contributed to the quality of the operation. At the same time, the degree of interoperability and ability to work side by side, in accordance with NATO standards, was put to the test.
US soldiers attending Open Day at SVK Ministry of Defence
Congratulations to champion
www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
(20 September) The SVK Minister of Defence, Martin Glváč congratulated Marián Jung who defended his title of the world champion at the World Championship F-500 in power boat racing held in Cremona (Italy). The victory of the sportsman of the Military Sports Centre DUKLA Banská Bystrica was not clear until the last round. “I know Marián as a man who knows what humbleness is. This competition is truly about high qualities of pilots, as well as about huge rivalry and what happens behind the scenes. I am proud that a sportsman of the Sports Centre DUKLA Banská Bystrica demonstrated again that he is the best,” stated Martin Glváč.
(16 September) Up to 640 US soldiers and 150 pcs of equipment moved, within the so-called Dragoon Crossing, to the NATO exercise Brave Warrior 2015 in Hungary. The convoy set off from the US base in Vilseck, Germany. The first part of the convoy reached Kuchyňa Air Base in the evening of 14 September. SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Milan Maxim and the US Chargé d’Affaires Rudolf V. Perina, welcomed the US soldiers at the air base. „The convoy is part of our exercise Slovak Shield and we do welcome contribution of the US party. Currently we rehearse road movement but we cannot rule out that in the future we will focus on rail movement or movement by air,” said the Minister. On Tuesday, 15 September, the US soldiers were given the opportunity to attend the Holy Mass at Kuchyňa Air Base. In the af-
eBULLETIN MoD SR
ternoon, they played football with their Slovak counterparts. On Wednesday, 16 September, the US 4/2 Cavalry unit joined the 1st mechanized company from the 12th mechanized battalion to perform a firing exercise at the firing range of the Military Technical and Testing Institute Záhorie. On Wednesday, 16 September, the Ministry of Defence opened to a wide public. Hundreds of children and adults watched dynamic demonstrations aimed at selfdefence, disposal of the improvised explosive devices, abseiling or close combat. In addition, they could also see the display of the equipment of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the US Army, to include vehicles Stryker, and they had a chance to meet and talk to the US soldiers. A multitude of civil defence and sporting activities and other attractions were prepared for the children. Equally, everybody, to include the US guests, was invited to taste military goulash.
September 14 - 20, 2015