Wide public decides on winners of the MOD’s literary competition
(1 December) The eleventh annual literary competition under the auspices of SVK Minister of Defence has come to know its winners. In the competition took part 295 works that have met the criteria of the contest opened to the high school and university students. The jury, which was made up of members of the SVK Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defence, decided on the ten works qualifying for the final. It was the wide public that took vote on the winners on the social networking sites. In the period from 25 to 30 November, 4 251 votes decided on the winners. In the category of the high school students, the podium places were awarded to the following: 1. place: Peter Kromka, J. A. Komenský Gymnasium in Lipany, for the work entitled Miss you, daddy (937 votes) 2. place: Michaela Gambárová, Comprehensive Grammar School of John de La Salle in Bratislava, for the work entitled War or Peace Option (672 votes) 3. place: Daniela Ferková, Gymnasium Trebišovská in Košice, for the work entitled Living at Peace: some taking peace for granted, the others just yearning for peace… (403 votes) In the category of the university students, the winners are as follows: 1. place: Pavol Zlatovský, the Comenius University in Bratislava, for the work entitled The Privilege (954 votes) 2. place: Mário Süč, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice, for the work entitled Living at Peace: some taking peace for granted, the others just yearning for peace… (449 votes) 3. place: Ivana Csalová, the Comenius University in Bratislava, for the work entitled The Parallel (271 votes) The youngest competitor was Miroslav Kozolka, a 13-year-old student of Gymnasium. ● The best soldier of the SVK Land Forces from the section-level corps for the 2015 training year is Cpl Martin Bombala, of the 13th Mechanized Battalion, and the best NCO is SSgt Marián Magnus, of the Self-Propelled Artillery Unit. The selection took place on 26 – 27 November at the NCO Club of the Training Battalion Martin. ● The best soldier of the SVK AF for the 2015 training year has become Cpl Miroslav Šendela, of Nitra-based Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, and as the best NCO the commission has chosen MSgt Rastislav Skubeň, Commanding NCO of Ožďany-based 3rd Radiolocation Surveillance Company and member of the Radiolocation Surveillance Battalion Zvolen. ● On 30. 11. the Chief of the SVK General Staff welcomed a delegation of the Chinese Armed Forces led by Lt Gen Jia Xiaowei, Deputy Commander of the Guangzhou military region. The Chinese delegation also met with the Director General of the Defence Policy Department, Col Róbert Tibenský. A part of the negotiations’ programme was an introduction of the structure of the SVK Armed Forces and their deployment on international crisis management operations.
Minister handing over vehicles (30 November) In an official ceremony, SVK Minister Martin Glváč handed over 47 new vehicles Volkswagen Golf and one utility vehicle Volkswagen Krafter to the members of the Armed Forces, Military Police and components of the Ministry of Defence. These vehicles will replace the automobiles that have been used from 15 up to 25 years and had to be replaced by reason of being obsolete, by reason of inadequate security, too many kilometers covered, high break-down rate and high repair and maintenance costs. “We have made a decision to replace the oldest of the vehicles. All the new vehicles have winter tires fitted; they have a three-year warranty and five-year post warranty maintenance service,” stated Minister of Defence Martin Glváč at the handover ceremony. The total cost paid up for the Volkswagen Golf vehicles is EUR 758,579.44 to include VAT, the cost paid up for the vehicle Krafter is EUR 35,529.60 to include VAT. The vehicles were financed from the budget of the SVK MOD. “We do welcome and very much appreciate the replacement, since the oldest vehicles serving in the Armed Forces have driven hundreds of thousands kilometers and their repair and maintenance is extremely costly, the whole situation being exacerbated by the shortage of the spare parts,” said Brig Gen Jindřich Joch, Commander of the Strategic Centre of the Crisis Management at the SVK General Staff, on the occasion of taking over the new vehicles. The new vehicles provide much more protection and safety; their diesel engines have lower fuel consumption and higher power outputs, and the maintenance costs are incomparably lower. Equally, they provide much more space for the crew, as well as better utility characteristics. According to Minister of Defence, the replacement of the obsolete vehicles should continue. “This is just the first round. In January, we intend to replace the vehicles older than 10 – 15 years,” added Minister Glváč.
On Cooperation with Canada
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(30 November) Further development of the Slovak – Canadian relations, cooperation in the field of modernization of the armed forces and current security challenges – these were the issues raised during the discussion between the State Secretary of the SVK MOD Miloš Koterec and chargé d’affaires of Canada Cathy Bunka. The State Secretary projected the possibility of the cooperation between the both countries in the future. “I highly appreciate the contribution of Canada in Ukraine. In the future, cooperation between the V4 countries and Canada might focus on this particular region,” he said. “I am quite positive that Canada would welcome such proposal,” ascertained Cathy Bunka. She appreciated the fact that Slovakia, in the context of the security situation in Europe, has decided to bolster the budget of the Defence Department for the upcoming year. “It is the field of defence where we see a potential space for a further development of relations between our countries. In the view of the current situation, modernization of the armed forces is regarded as the crucial step,” she added. In the context of the Monday meeting, the new Defence Attaché of Canada Pascal Demers will be received by the top officials of the Ministry of Defence and the Slovak Armed Forces.
● Within the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, members of the Police Enforcement Division Prešov – SFC Vladimír Jendruš, SFC Jaroslav Sobek and SSgt Matúš Červeňák – have completed an Advanced Course and a Career Course at the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Academy of the U.S. Marine Corps in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Before being enrolled in for an 8-week course, our servicemen were tested on their English language proficiency. The participants attended 11 to 14 graded subjects, in which they had to achieve at least 80%. A part of the training was also a tough physical fitness training. ● On 30 November, after 11 years of service in the Training Battalion Martin, MSgt Peter Poláček left his position of a Senior Instructor of Functional and Specialized Courses of the NCO Academy of the Training Battalion Martin. The Commander of Functional and Specialized Courses, MSgt Rastislav Kyseľ thanked him for the work done, wished him every success in his new position, and awarded him with the Memorial Plaque. ● On 2 December, the Military Police Director, Col Milan Hamar awarded Brig Martin Stoklasa, Commander of the SVK Armed Forces 2nd Mechanized Brigade, with the Military Police Medal, 2nd Class (Silver), for his significant contribution to cooperation with the Military Police. ● During the period from 16 November to 3 December, at the medical field station in Liptovský Mikuláš operating under the Training, Education and Specialized Preparation Section, Specialized Medical and Veterinary Activities Division, Surgeon General Office Ružomberok, an OR-7 Course took place, and on 1 – 3 December a course on first aid, bandaging techniques and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was carried out. ● The Commander of the Helicopter Wing Prešov, Col Róbert Tóth welcomed a Ukrainian delegation, whose aim was to carry out an inspection in concert with an adopted notification format of the Vienna Document 2011 and following the Agreement between the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Additional Confidence- and Security-Building Measures. The inspection group observed dynamic demonstrations of the prescribed maintenance works and activities performed in the Technical Repair and Maintenance Squadron, checked the Mi-17 MODER flight simulator, and made a tour of the air traffic control tower. The delegation expressed satisfaction with the inspection’s results.
Military police in Afghanistan
(1 December) In Operation Resolute Support (RS) at HKIA Base in Kabul serves an officer of the SVK Military Police, whose job is to provide police support to the deployed members of the SVK Armed Forces. The tasks of the Military Police in the operation are police support of the SOAT Unit, control of compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP), internal rules and regulations, and traffic safety; criminality prevention, protection of materiel, protection and escort of persons, and assistance to the Force Commander with police security. Together with members of the IMP HKIA, the officer cooperates in the baggage control of leaving and arriving members of SLOVCON at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, protection and escort of persons, and controls carried out using service dogs and aimed at detection of explosives, narcotics and psychotropic substances. During the cooperation meeting of the MP SLOVCON and the MP IMP HKIA, a suggestion to assign ten more positions to members of the Military Police has been raised.
Legion train arrives in Bratislava
(1 December) Together with representatives of the Generals’ Club, a delegation of the SVK Armed Forces headed by Chief of the SVK General Staff Gen Milan Maxim officially welcomed to Slovakia the Legion Train. The joint project of the Czechoslovak Legionary Community, Legion 100 Foundation, Milan Rastislav Štefánik Foundation and other organizations enabled citizens to make a tour of a replica of a train used by Czechoslovak legions, which is currently exhibited in the Museum of Transport in Bratislava. The replica consists of 11 cars. Period exhibits and photographs shed some light on lives of soldiers who contributed to the foundation of the independent Czechoslovakia. The arrival of the train at the Platform 1 of the Bratislava Main Train Station was enhanced by the Military Music Band of the SVK Armed Forces.
Meeting of aviation authorities
(1 December) On 24 June 2015, SVK Minister of Defence had signed, in Brussels, the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the creation and activities of the Multinational Aviation Training Centre (MATC), which is the joint project, set up by Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia. Thereby, the process of bilateral negotiations between the national military aviation authorities was launched with the aim to identify possible barriers for MATC to operate effectively and to be fully used. On 1 December, the meeting of directors of the military aviation authorities was held in Prague, concluding the series of negotiations. Among those attending said meeting was also Roman Kajda, Director of the Military Aviation Authority of the SVK MOD. Directors of the military aviation authorities confirmed that the procedures and oversight functions carried out by the individual military aviation authorities aimed at maintaining airworthiness address the needs of MATC and comply with its requirements, the same applying also to the process of accreditation of training organizations as well as to the aviation personnel and aircraft maintenance engineers’ licensing procedures.
Visiting Slovak troops at exercise Balaton 2015 in Hungary
(3 December) SVK Chief of Defence Gen Milan Maxim visited the members of the SVK Armed Forces taking part in the international exercise Balaton 2015 in Hungary. The troops from the Combat Service Support Brigade Trečín and from the 1st Mechanized Brigade Topoľčany provide for repairs and maintenance of the wheeled equipment, supplies of potable water, food and other materiel for the Czech and Hungarian partners. During the six weeks of the exercise Balaton, the members of the SVK Armed Forces have provided for the transportation of 5.500 tons of materiel and have driven more than 60,000 kilometres. Altogether 7,000 troops from Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are taking part in the operation. “The exercise will be ending on 15 December and the troops will go home, but the operation to secure the Hungarian borders, the
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borders of the European Union and the Schengen Area will continue,” stated Gen Maxim. “The decision to continue cooperation was the outcome of the talks held with Chief of the Hungarian General Staff. I presume that our staff officers and planners will take part in the operation in the future,” he added. “In the exercise Balaton 2015, the Slovak and Czech troops provide support to the Hungarian troops, with the aim to restrict illegal and uncontrolled migration into the Schengen Area,” said Minister of Defence Martin Glváč. “Also in Slovakia we are ready to operate jointly with the Police to secure our borders. Our tactics and courses of action are constantly being improved also thanks to the lessons learned and experiences that our soldiers have gained at the exercises like Balaton 2015,” concluded the Minister.
November 30 - December 6, 2015