Slovak soldiers are contributing to the security of BiH
No. 33 ● Vol. VII ● www.mosr.sk/ebulletin/
On NATO DPCR (10 August) On the latest NATO Defence Planning Capability Review (DPCR) 2017-2018, as per legislation, the SVK Government is responsible for delivering defence planning, i.e. the defence of the Slovak Republic. This is fully in line with Article 3 of the Washington Treaty, whereby individual NATO Member States are obliged to “maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack”. Therefore, the current MOD leadership approaches modernization systemically and systematically, whilst being aligned to the SVK Government- and Security Council-approved 2030 Long-Term Defence Development Plan, to make the Armed Forces fully ready for delivering the defence of the Slovak Republic. It should be reminded that the criticism that comes from NATO is no novelty, because it is widely known that defence has been neglected and financially overstretched for long years. The outcome of the previous non-conceptuality of modernization is that the commitment of a medium mechanised brigade has been shifting ever since 2004, with the SVK Air Force being the only area receiving more, or less, investment. But to be objective, compared to the previous DPCRs, NATO gives a more positive assessment of Slovakiaʼs defence planning in the latest DPCR. We reported on this after the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers earlier this June. In the latest DPCR, defence planners highlighted our ambition to spend 1.6% of GDP on defence by 2020 and 2% of GDP by 2024 and Slovakiaʼs flexibility as the Review was being processed. At the time of writing the DPCR 2017-2018 the SVK Governmentʼs decision on the procurement of supersonics, pricing and operating costs were not known yet. Moreover, today it is clear that the stand-up of the heavy mechanised brigade will not be negatively influenced by this acquisition. Needless to realise, the Army needs effective close air support in conducting its operations. As regards the document itself, it is marked NATO UNCLASSIFIED. According to the rules of the National Security Authority and NATO, this means using information only for official purposes and making it available only to authorised citizens, and not to members of the wide public. It should be noted that the DPCR consists of three parts – Overview, Staff Analysis and Tables, whereas Staff Analysis and Tables are marked NATO RESTRICTED or higher by NATO, and this is equally true of all Member States. Based on our request, Part I (Overview) is now available to all those whom it may concern in compliance with the rules of the National Security Authority and NATO. We have no interest in holding back information. On the contrary, we believe the wide public should see reality as it is so that we can reach society-wide consensus on the modernization of the Armed Forces. Also for this reason, we want to push ahead with the partial declassification of the next Comprehensive Defence Review (CDR) of the Slovak Republic, which is endorsed by the Government and the Security Council. Equally important, we would like to introduce the NATO DPCR 2017-2018 to MPs on the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security, members of the Cabinet, and members of the Security Council, i.e. to all qualified entities. We would like to reiterate that we have nothing to hide. The MOD will make no comments on the authenticity of the document released by Mr Dubéci. Unlike this unsuccessful political candidate, we respect the guidelines of the National Security Authority and NATO.
(10 August) Another 18 Slovak personnel are deploying on Operation EUFOR ALTHEA. Over the next year they will contribute to building the capacities and capabilities of the BiH Armed Forces and a secure and stable environment in BiH. Chief of Defence Lt Gen Daniel Zmeko attended the pre-deployment ceremony to bid farewell to BiH-bound personnel at the Training and Mobilization Manning Base in Martin. “A relatively small number of SVK Army professionals have been playing a role in enhancing the peace, security and development of hard-pressed BiH for over the past 14 years. Operation EUFOR ALTHEA is a symbol of how soldiers can uphold democracy and humanism in conflict regions,” said Chief of Defence Lt Gen Daniel Zmeko. Slovak soldiers will be based at Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, while some of them will perform tasks as part of liaison and observation teams (LOTs) in Novo Sarajevo, Foča and Višegrad. They had undergone a 5-week pre-deployment training on communications, the ability to gather and process information, mine awareness, and medical training at the Training and Mobilization Manning Base in Martin. Established in 2004, the main goal of Operation EUFOR ALTHEA is to stabilize Bosnia and Herzegovina, to build the capacities of the BiH MOD and Armed Forces, and to fulfil the Dayton Peace Accords.
● After the three members of the Czech Army died in the course of performing their duties in the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan on 5 Aug 2018, CHOD Lt Gen Daniel Zmeko expressed his deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased soldiers through CZE CHOD Lt Gen Aleš Opata. A memorial service in tribute to the fallen Czech colleagues was held at the Chapel of the SVK MOD. ● The Training and Mobilization Manning Base Martin is the venue of this yearʼs third seven-week basic military training (BMT), which began on 6 Aug 2018. Of 48 soldier trainees, 126 cadets of the Slovak Armed Forces Academy and 49 college/university graduates, 57 are women. ● Slovak race walker 1st Lt Mater Tóth, member of the Military Sports Club (VŠC) Dukla Banská Bystrica, won the silver medal in the menʼs 50km race walk at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships on 7 Aug 2018. His colleague from VŠC, Mária Katerinka Czaková, placed 6th in the womenʼs 50km race walk. ● The Slovak Air Forceʼs HQ AIRCOM Zvolen hosted the final coordination conference for Ex AIR SHIELD 2018 on 7-8 Aug. As the main training activity of the SVK Air Force this year, the exercise will take place on 1-12 Oct 2018.
Debut EOD Specialists Course
(10 August) The Novákybased National Centre EOD and CBRN is conducting its debut EOD Specialists Course for SVK Armed Forces personnel, which began at the end of July and runs through August. Capt Ondrej Michalec is the course leader. Commander NC EOD and CBRN Maj Jozef Kasl emphasised that this is the first time the course is delivered at this level by Slovak instructors in Slovakia, because specialist EOD and CBRN courses have so far always been delivered by US instructors. The aim of the course is to instruct personnel in disposing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted in the ground, in buildings or vehicles, or on people, and to make the incident site safe. The theory phase at the NC EOD and CBRN in Nováky will be followed by the field phase at the Training Centre Lešť.
● Organised by the Ordinariate of the SVK Armed Forces and Armed Corps, Mountain Hotel Granit Smrekovica has hosted two 10-day summer camps for children of service personnel and civilian employees in Defence this year, too. Similarly, the Ecumenical Pastoral Service in the Armed Forces and Armed Corps organised a Summer Biblical Camp in Pružina on 22-29 Jul 2018 and the General Milan Rastislav Štefánik Armed Forces Academy ran the 5th Childrenʼs Day Camp at the Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš on 9-13 Jul 2018. ● A commemorative music concert marking the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1 was opened with the speech of Col Marián Bodolló, Chaplain General of the Ecumenical Pastoral Service in the Armed Forces and Armed Corps, at the Slovak Radio Building in Bratislava on 24 Jul 2018. ● The SVK MOD urges drivers to take caution as there will be 18 Allied military road movements and 1 military rail movement across Slovakia on 13-18 Aug 2018. SVK Army convoys will also transport oversized cargo along the routes: Michalovce – Prešov – Martin – Žilina – Dubnica nad Váhom; Martin – Poprad – Prešov – Valaškovce; Sliač – Banská Bystrica – Ružomberok – Prešov; Nitra – Trnava – Trenčín; and within the city of Prešov.
Open Door Day at Nemšová
(10 August) The Brigadier Jozef Martin Kristín Supply Base Nemšová hosted the 15th Open Door Day. Base Deputy Commander Major Július Pethö, who welcomed, among others, the General Secretary of the SVK MOD Service Office Ján Hoľko to the Base, was pleased that the event attracted over 1,000 visitors. They were keen to see a wide range of military vehicles and equipment in service with the Armed Forces in the past and today.
Slovak and Czech cadets practise their skills (11 August) Cadets of the General M. R. Štefánik Armed Forces Academy in Liptovský Mikuláš and cadets of the University of Defence in Brno underwent field training at the Training Centre Lešť in recent days. A total of 152 cadets put their tactical, marksmanship, engineering and topographical knowledge and skills to the test. “The training at Lešť was conducted by the Academy for the second time. Six SVK Army instructors enriched the training by sharing their practical expertise,” said Deputy Commandant (ʽVice Rectorʼ) of the
eBULLETIN SVK MoD
Academy for Military Affairs Col Ľubomír Matta. He added that this form of practical training has proved its value and that for cadets this is a possibility to gain expertise from the soldiers who were deployed on domestic and international crisis operations. 142 cadets of the General M. R. Štefánik Armed Forces Academy and 10 cadets of the University of Defence undertook the training at Lešť. Practical training activities are part of the cadet training programme. This runs parallel with the selected study programme and is a pre-requisite for cadets to complete their tertiary studies.
6 - 12 August 2018