Petra Vlhová claims military sports centre Dukla unites sports elite (13 December) On Sunday, Petra Vlhová of the Military Sports Centre (MSC) Dukla claimed a maiden victory in Women's Slalom at the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Åre, Sweden. Another success for Slovakia and the MSC Dukla was also a great sixth place of Veronika Velez-Zuzulová, who finished second at Aspen World Cup slalom, U.S. “After an excellent start of our girls in slalom held in Aspen, I was looking forward to the European race. I believed we would wait to see a victory. With her rides, Petra burst onto the highest podium step as a comet, which was a surprise for many of us. I am really pleased that she made it and I congratulate her from the bottom of my heart. I am also very happy for the 6th place of Veronika Velez-Zuzulová, so my congratulations are doubled. Both of them claim that even though the conditions for sport are not always ideal in Slovakia, the MSC Dukla manages to prepare sportsmen and sportswomen of world qualities. I keep my fingers crossed for them,” stated SVK Minister of Defence Minister Glváč. 20-year-old Petra Vlhová is a member of the MSC Dukla Banská Bystrica since July 2013. Two weeks ago in Aspen, she finished among the top 10 for the first time in her career. ● On 7 December, SVK Land Forces Commander Brig Gen Ondřej Novosad endorsed the Land Forces planning documentation for the upcoming training year. The Plan of preparation of the Land Forces and the Land Forces HQ for the training year 2016, and the Land Forces Commander’s training directive are the key documents in terms of preparation and training of the SVK Land Forces troops for the training year 2016. ● On 7 – 9 December, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Gen Milan Maxim made a visit to the Czech Republic. During the bilateral negotiations held in Prague and during the CHODs’ meeting in Náměšť nad Oslavou, they discussed the issues of cooperation between the SVK Armed Forces and the Army of the Czech Republic and evaluated the joint operation of the both armies in the training activities held in 2015. In the end, they devoted attention to the conceptual document “The options of development of tangible cooperation between the SVK Land Forces and the Army of the Czech Republic”. Gen Maxim was received also by the Czech Minister of Defence Martin Stropnický.
Visit to the United States
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(10 December) Cooperation in the field of defence, defence expenditures, the fight against terrorism and the service of our soldiers in Afghanistan – such were the topical themes of the negotiations between SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč and the U.S. Deputy Minister of Defence, Robert O. Work. “We highly appreciate joint exercises, namely the participation of more than a hundred servicemen of the Indiana National Guard in our most extensive exercise dubbed Slovak Shield 2015,” stated Minister Glváč on the relations between Slovakia and the U.S., which have become more intense during the past year. Mr. Work expressed satisfaction with the fact that the Slovak Republic increases defence expenditures as well as with our attitude towards the situation in Ukraine. Minister Glváč informed him on the replacement of equipment and the financing of modernization projects which are being carried out beyond the MOD’s budget. They also discussed our assistance offered to France to fight terrorism and the new NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence (NATO CI COE), which is being established in Slovakia. At the meeting with the Deputy Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Jennifer Zakriski, Minister Glváč held talks about the delivery of new Black Hawk Helicopters for the SVK Armed Forces and the preparation of Slovak pilots: “The training of Slovak pilots in the U.S. will start in January 2016. The trainees will have to pledge to stay in our armed forces as for the training costs will be of considerable amount.” Within the negotiations, current security challenges and the fight against terrorism were discussed as well. For the Slovak Republic, the priority in this field is the development of capabilities and the armament of Special Forces, for which the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program – employed for the purchase of the Black Hawk Helicopters – may be used in the near future. One of the goals of the visit was to sign the Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of the USA and the Government of the Slovak Republic Regarding Reciprocal Government Quality Assurance Services. The Memorandum will increase the interoperability of equipment used in the armed forces of both countries, decrease the price and hasten the process of reciprocal acceptance of certificates. The Slovak Minister also visited the manufacturer of UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters – Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. “After visiting the governmental agency DSCA, I can assure you that the delivery periods will be met. The SVK AF pilots may get the first two helicopters even sooner,” he stated. The SVK MOD and Sikorsky Corporation signed a Framework Agreement on Cooperation, which defines areas of joint interest in carrying out projects related to the introduction of new American helicopters into the inventory of the SVK Armed Forces after 2016. “Two most prospective areas are the construction of a training facility for UH-60M helicopters in Slovakia and the possibility to use repair and maintenance capacities of the Aircraft Repair Company Trenčín for part of the technical maintenance of the new helicopters. Over the next months, based on the agreement, Sikorsky Corporation will hold negotiations with relevant partners of the Slovak defence industry,” briefed Minister Glváč. The simulator is necessary for the training of helicopter pilots and its establishment in Slovakia will bring additional financial resources since its vacant capacities could be potentially offered to other countries in the region. Slovakia’s ambition is to become a regional leader in training pilots to fly on this type of helicopter.
● On 10 December, Col Ľubomír Gorelčík, Chairman of the Club of the SVK General Staff Colonels, accompanied by Col Ľubomír Kubek and Mons. František Rábek, the SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps Ordinary, came to make a financial donation to the students with disabilities, from a pre-school age to the maturity age, studying at the school Mokrohájska 3, as a special Christmas gift. ● On 10 December, in the presence of the top officials of the Bratislava Garrison HQ (BGHQ) and its subordinated units, the BGHQ Commander’s final command meeting was held on the premises of the Dukla Barracks, Bratislava. The primary focus of the meeting was on evaluating the past period and introducing the tasks to be met in the upcoming year. Col Ján Marek, Commander of the BGHQ, extended his acknowledgement to the members of the subordinated units for their contribution in the field of supporting the protocol and diplomatic activities on the government level, and for successful representation of the SVK Armed Forces. On the occasion of his retirement, Maj Karol Kubica was awarded the Commemorative Medal of the BGHQ Commander, and Lt Col Walter Teiml, Commander of the Honour Guard of the SVK Armed Forces, was awarded for ensuring the dignified course of the protocol and diplomatic activities. ● Having completing the elementary course for dog handlers and their dogs specializing at detection of explosives, Sgt 1st Class Marek Bača from the Police Enforcement Division and his dog Kaso were the last to take part in the series of the specialized cynology courses organized by and under auspices of the Canine Section of the Training and Canine Division of the Military Police Vlkanová – Hronsek in 2015. The members of the Canine Section have organized 17 specialized coursed aimed at cynology, with participation of 54 members of the Defence Department. The courses scheduled for the training year 2016 should rise both in number and quality. ● On 9 December, Col Milan Hamar, Director of Military Police, presented Ján Raus, Director of the SVK MOD Training Centre Lešť, and his Deputy Dušan Argaláš with the bronze medal (3rd Grade) for cooperation in the field of training. On the same occasion, he expressed his belief in further development of cooperation and cementing the sound relationships between the individual components so that their joint activities would continue to be carried out in a highly professional manner. ● On 12 December, Col of the General Staff Ján Žarnovický, Commander of the SVK Armed Forces’ Logistic Support Office (LSO) bid farewell to Lt Col Erik Jankovič, Maj Tomáš 83 Lazor, Capt Ing Ivan Vokoun and Capt Henrich Ďuračka, the members of the LSO who have terminated their career with the Armed Forces. Lt Col Eduard Dindhoffer will terminate his military career as from 31 December. Ján Žarnovický expressed his acknowledgement to them and presented them with letters of appreciation and commemorative medals of Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces (3rd grade – bronze), which medals were awarded them by Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces.
Best NCO of SVK Armed Forces
(9 December) The Commission led by Command Sergeant Major Vladimír Beluš, Chief NCO of the SVK Armed Forces, on its session in the premises of the Air Force HQ in Zvolen came to a decision to award the title Best NCO of the SVK Armed Forces in the Training Year 2015 to Staff Sergeant Ľudovít Vereš from the Guard of Honour of the President of the Slovak Republic. SSgt Vereš has hands-on experience of serving in the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). He has completed the Navy Sergeant Course in Virginia, the US. This was actually the second time that he earned the prestigious Best NCO nomination. Not only that he duly performs his training and representative tasks but he is also the captain of the SVK representation in rugby and active voluntary blood donor, all that reflecting credit on the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic. Among the five finalists were: a paramedic instructor and paratrooper from the 5th Special Forces Regiment Žilina in a rank of Sgt 1st Class, Commanding NCO from the Radar Reconnaissance Company Ožďany MSgt Rastislav Skubeň, Team Commander of the Honour Guard of the SVK Armed Forces SSgt Ivan Móča and Commander of the self-propelled gun howitzer Zuzana from the Self-propelled Artillery Division Michalovce SSgt Marián Magnus.
New ambulances for UNFICYP
(9 December) The Slovak Republic must meet its commitments following from the Memorandum with respect to UNFICYP, regarding ROLE 1. The SVK contingent, which has the leading role in Sector 4, provides medical care also for the Hungarian, Serbian and Ukrainian contingents. Owing to the fact that the present equipment deployed at the dressing-station in Famagusta gradually failed to serve its function and also failed to meet the requirements posed on the equipment to be used in a peacekeeping operation, the two specialized off-road medical vehicles on the chassis Mercedes 300 G were sent to Cyprus. The SVK Armed Forces gradually distribute such vehicles to various strategic units. What is to be viewed as an advantage is that the vehicles are right-hand-drive, not to mention the internal equipment of the vehicles. The ambulances are equipped with traction splints, dosing feeders, a sucking unit, a life pack or defibrillator. Commander of Sector 4 Lt Col Miroslav Belanský found it necessary to formally inaugurate the new ambulances. Senior Chaplain Col Marko Trochan blessed them during a solemn ceremony and prayed that they be used to serve those in need and provide the service personnel with a high degree of protection.
Ambition to develop cooperation with Poland in various fields of defence
(7 December) State Secretary of the SVK Ministry of Defence Miloš Koterec and Under-Secretary of State for defence policy and international cooperation at the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland Tomasz Szatkowski, who made a visit to Slovakia, evinced
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their interest in developing relations in the field of defence. As the most important areas they defined cross-border cooperation between their air forces and military – technical cooperation. “It is our ambition to sign the agreement on cross-border cooperation next year,” said Miloš Koterec, and stressed that the both countries are determined to continue cooperation in the field of defence industry. At their meeting, the new idea was put forward to organize, on a regular basis, joint negotiations of the state secretaries of the Slovak and Polish ministries of defence and their respective ministries of foreign affairs. In a discussion aimed at bilateral relations and regional cooperation in a V4 format, the State Secretary of the SVK MOD and his counterpart confirmed that communication between Poland and Slovakia is particularly effective and they concurred on a variety of projects that are viewed by the both countries as most interesting. The fact that the first working visit of the new Under-Secretary of State was made to Slovakia speaks volumes about the excellent relationship between the countries.
December 7 - 13, 2015