Defence Minister awards winners of literary contest
(17 December) SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč met with the winners of the 11th annual literary contest on the premises of the Defence Department. Ivana Csalová from the Comenius University in Bratislava, Peter Kromka from the Comenius Gymnasium in Lipany and Michaela Gombárová from the de La Salle Comprehensive School in Bratislava were awarded with diplomas, books and financial prizes. The theme of the contest this year was: “Living at Peace: some taking peace for granted, the others just yearning for peace…” “Allow me to extend my sincere congratulations to you. I am very glad that you took part in our literary competition. I believe that your victory will generate further motivation for you to carry on writing,” said the Head of the Defence Department. Discussion of the Minister with the prizewinners was held in an informal atmosphere. Martin Glváč evinced interest in their studies, hobbies and plans for the future, but they also addressed the issue of the migration crisis. The other prizewinners Pavol Zlatovský, Mário Süč and Daniela Ferková, who could not take over the awards in person, will be sent the prize in the nearest future. ● On 14 December, Chief of the Military Office of the President of the Slovak Republic, Col Vladimír Šimko, handed over medals of the Chief of the Military Office of the President of the Slovak Republic for the significant contribution to cooperation with the Military Office of the President of the Slovak Republic to 1st Lt Andrea Rišianová, Cpl Štefan Filo, Cpl Štefan Mosný and 2nd Degree Pte Štefan Kolodits. The Best NCO of the SVK Armed Forces in the training year 2015, member of the 1st company of the Honour Guard of the President of the Slovak Republic SSgt Ľudovít Vereš, was presented with the memorial certificate.
Presidential visit
(17 December) President of the Slovak Republic Andrej Kiska, Commander-in-Chief of the SVK Armed Forces, made on 17 December a traditional Christmas visit to the Defence Department. He met with Minister Martin Glváč, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Gen Milan Maxim and the others. “With the President, we talked about the topical issues, namely about modernization projects,” summarized the Minister. The President received from him, as a Christmas present, the unconventionally big Christmas ball ornament, in the army green colour, and from the SVK CHOD the President received the Christmas Eve dinner, prepared from the field rations (MRE).
New names in the Hall of Fame
(18 December) As a token of respect and gratitude for their remarkable deeds, Minister of Defence Martin Glváč inducted into the Hall of Fame six modern-era veterans. “Usually, troops leave for the operations for half a year, but many of the awarded have served in five, six or even more rotations. Being Head of the Defence Department for nearly four years, I have frequently received highly positive response to their work. Although Slovakia is a small country, our contribution to the severely afflicted regions is anything but small, “said the Minister. The tradition of the Hall of Fame started yet back in 2010. Among those who now received the honour of being inducted into the Hall of Fame were SSgt Vladimír Fecura, MSgt Tomáš Német, MSgt Slavomír Badár, Lt Col Roland Bartakovics, Sgt 1st Class Michal Mieres and in memoriam Lt Igor Rigo. At the meeting, Minister Glváč announced the 19th annual Military Deed of the Year, which awards the noble deeds done by the soldiers end employees of the Defence Department that helped to save lives, as well as their work beyond their normal duties.
Minister awards sportsmen
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(15 December) The race walker Matej Tóth and the alpine ski racer Veronika Velez- Zuzulová are the best athletes of the SVK Ministry of Defence in 2015. Besides them, Minister Glváč also awarded the most successful couches, teams and young sportsmen from MSC Dukla Banská Bystrica: “The results you have achieved reflect credit on Dukla, on the Defence Department and on Slovakia. I am glad that we have the sportspeople like you.” It was for the first time that the defence department has announced the individual categories for men and women. In the category of men, the award went to the 50-km world race walking champion, the 32-year-old Matej Tóth. His couch Matej Spišiak placed first in the category Couch of the Year. In the category of women, the winner is the most successful military sportswoman, the 31-year-old Veronika Velez- Zuzulová. In the category of teams, the award went to the slalom canoeists Alexander Slafkovksý and Michal Martikán. Among those awarded were also the young slalom canoeist Marko Mirgorodský and his couch Tomáš Mráz, and Marián Jung, champion in motor boat racing. As part of the ceremonial evening, the Dukla Hall of Fame was opened. Among those inducted into the Dukla Hall of Fame were the two Olympic gold medalists – the track-cycling world champion Anton Tkáč and the race walker Jozef Pribilinec, couches Juraj Benčík, Jiří Synek, Miroslav Martinák and Peter Mráz. Equally, František Kunzo, the football player, and Ivan Čierny, a former successful director of the army sports centre in 1990 – 2001, who had worked in Dukla from 1969, were inducted into the Dukla Hall of Fame.
● In the premises of the Dukla barracks, Commander of the Bratislava Garrison HQ Col Ján Marek awarded two members of the Guard of Honour of the SVK Armed Forces for their excellent service and activities contributing to development and representation of the Bratislava Garrison HQ (BGHQ) and SVK Armed Forces. SSgt Ivan Móča and Cpl Lukáš Kameniar were presented with the commemorative coins of the Commander of the BGHQ and with the letters of appreciation for an excellent performance of tasks in the training year 2015 and for ranking first in the category of the best soldier at the BGHQ. ● On 8 – 9 December, members of Sector 4 of UNFICYP donated blood during the event dubbed the Christmas Drop of Blood, organized by the sector’s medical team in cooperation with the Famagusta General Hospital in Dherynia. More than fifty members of the Slovak, Hungarian and Serbian contingents donated blood. The Slovak engineers donated blood in the capital city of the island. ● On 15 December, with a view of the upcoming Christmas, by virtue of the incentive of the General Vicar of the Ordinariate and Military Chaplain at the SVK MOD’s Parish of St. George Mons. František Počurek, the traditional pre-Christmas meeting of the parishioners took place. For the SVK Armed Forces Command, it was 2nd Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Maj Gen Pavel Macko, who attended the event. ● Members of the Joint Forces Command (JFC) Brunssum in the Netherlands organized the two events aimed at presentation of the SVK Armed Forces to the international public and to cement mutual relations within the national community. The Slovak stand at the Christmas Market, under the auspices of the JFC Brunssum Commander, offered the traditional Christmas specialties. The members of the SVK Armed Forces operating in JFC Brunssum, their families and members of the SVK Armed Forces operating in Uedem, Germany, took part in the Christmas party. They were welcomed by the Senior National Representative Brigade General Ľubomír Svoboda. The children got presents from Santa Claus. ● In the pre-Christmas time, the reunion of the former members of the then Air Force Secondary School took place. Throughout its existence, i.e. from its establishment in 1967 until its wind up in 2003, the school educated approximately 6,000 air force personnel of various specializations. More than 110 military pedagogues, training officers and civilian employees attended the reunion. The participants from Slovakia and the Czech Republic recalled the times when they worked to bring up the young generation and prepare them to serve in the air force and discussed on the current state and the future of the education and training in the field of aviation. ● On 11 December, by taking military oath and the passing-out parade, 185 new professional soldiers completed their preparation for service in the SVK Armed Forces on the premises of the training battalion in Martin. 1st Degree Pte Martin Minko, the member of the 11th mechanized battalion of the 1st mechanized brigade of the Land Forces, was awarded as the best graduate.
Ministers meet in Prague
(20 December) The State Secretary of the SVK MOD Miloš Koterec attended the Meeting of the V4 Defence Ministers in Prague. They addressed the issues like the current security situation, cooperation of the V4 countries with respect to the migration crisis and protection of the European Union’s outer borders, the V4 EU Battle Group and prospects of cooperation in the future. The V4 countries have recently certified the joint V4 EU Battle group, which should by on standby from 1 January for a period of six months. “Our contribution is a mechanized company and CBR specialists, altogether 536 professional soldiers,” said Miloš Koterec and added: “It is our ambition to preserve and maintain the capabilities of the Battle Group even after the stand-by period, for the sake of both the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance.” Among the issues raised at the meeting was also the request of France for assistance to fight terrorism.
Inauguration of AFS Chancellor
(15 December) The inauguration of the new Chancellor of the Milan Rastislav Štefánik Armed Forces Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš, Doc. Ing. Jozef Puttera, CSc., took place on 15 December in the assembly hall of the Academy, in the presence of the Director General of the Human Resources Department at the SVK MOD JUDr. Eleonóra Kišová and 1st Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Peter Gajdoš. The new Chancellor reassured those present that this Military Academy, the one and only of its kind in the Slovak Republic, will continue to serve its role, which is provision of the university education to students and cadets and career development of the professional soldiers. He mentioned the other tasks of the AFA, like accreditation of the university study programmes, implementation of the military programme of a cadet, meeting the SVK Armed Forces’ requirements as to preparation of military specializations, guaranteeing further development of military science, carrying out the national and international research and development projects and further development of international cooperation with military academies abroad.
Christmas visit to Bosnia
(16 December) In the pre-Christmas time, Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces visited the Slovak soldiers in the operation EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the three-day-visit, he and his delegation met with members of all the three SVK Liaison and Observation Teams (LOTs) in Novo Sarajevo, Visegrad and Foca, as well as with the Mission Commander – the Austrian Maj Gen Johann Luif and with the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Bosnia and Herzegovina Miroslav Mojžita. Gen Maxim presented the Slovak troops with the Christmas gifts.
Counter-terrorism measures designed to increase potential deployment of armed forces (17 December) Within the framework of fight against terrorism, the directorates of the Police Corps to respond to the crisis situations. In the case of an increased terrorist threat, it will be possible to SVK Armed Forces’ potential deployment will increase. This assign up to 800 troops to perform the tasks of joint patrolling emerged from the document approved by the SVK Government. “We immediately responded to the terrorist attacks in Paris and we under the command of the Police Corps. With a view to the need to have 800 troops available to augment the Police Corps it will be adopted measures to strengthen security. To-date, we have entered the next stage, offering wider options for the armed forces necessary in 2016 - 2017 to permanently increase the strength of the SVK Armed Forces. to actively fight terrorism, if and when required,” stated Minister Equally, the strength of the 5th Special Forces Regiment and Martin Glváč. ISTAR battalion will increase. These troops are directly designated As part of the measures adopted, it will be possible to assign to fight terrorism. ISTAR battalion is currently being established, the troops to perform the tasks of joint patrolling, maintaining and should be ready to operate by the end of 2017. Strength of the security and public order. Such formations will be available in 16 5th Special Forces Regiment will be increased in two stages. garrisons. As for the time on duty, the readiness time will be 60 Accordingly, strength of the forces designated to prevent and minutes, as for the time off duty it will be up to 180 minutes. Pursuant to the order of the Minister of Defence, it will be possible remove the consequences of the counter-terrorism measures will also be increased. This pertains namely to the engineering to assign next more than 800 persons with the necessary transportation and special equipment. By virtue of the Government capabilities; chemical, biological and radiological defence (CBRN) capabilities and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capabilities. resolution, it will be possible to assign 400 troops to the regional
eBULLETIN MoD SR
December 14 - 20, 2015