We Stay Committed To EUFOR ALTHEA (November 28) The MoD's State Secretary Miloš Koterec visited Slovak soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while on an official visit to the country accompanying Ivan Gašparovič, the president of the Slovak Republic. Slovak troops have been involved in the EUFOR ALTHEA operation from the very beginning. “Despite the fact that since October we have less soldiers here compared to previous years, we are still committed do maintaining EUFOR ALTHEA operational,“ said Koterec. The significance of our participation in the operation was further stressed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Miroslav Kocian, who accompanied the delegation in Novo Sarajevo. “It remains necessary to maintain the military presence here to guarantee the stability of the region, and our troops fulfill the operational task in a responsible manner,” said Kocian. Currently 4 Slovak soldiers are dislocated to the EUFOR ALTHEA Command, and 3 soldiers to the National Support Element. Three soldiers work in the Liaison Coordination Center, where Slovakia has been a leading nation since September of this year. Further 24 soldiers are deployed in three liaison observation teams.
Military Pensions Reassessed (November 26) Special funds used for paying out military pensions to soldiers and policemen should become more stabilized as a consequence of an amended Act on Social Security of Policemen and Soldiers, presented jointly by Defense Minister Martin Glváč and Minister of Interior Róbert Kaliňák. The amended law introduces several significant changes. Contributions deducted monthly from the wages of policemen and soldiers will increase to 7 percent, and the contributions paid by the employer will also increase. Another significant change is the gradual prolongation of the minimum military service required for eligibility to the military pension from 15 to 25 years. Soldiers who have been in service for less than 5 years by 2013, will be eligible for the military pension after 25 years of service. The new Act also addresses the valorization of military pensions, which should now be identical to the valorization of pensions in the civil sector. “The only difference will be that we would take into account the number of years served,” explained Interior Minister Kaliňák. The conditions for eligibility to severance pay will also change from 5 to 13 years of minimum service, while the severance pay itself will drop from 13.5-fold to 9-fold the monthly wage. Defense Minister Glváč confirmed that the Armed Forces stand fully behind the new law, which should help save 18 million euro annually. “Our goal is to set the system up in such a way as to make soldiering a life -long experience. Had we not made the changes, in 30 years we would have to subsidize the military pensions with 500 million euro annually,“ said Glváč. The amended law should stabilize the system for at least the next 50 years. Simultaneously it annuls the danger of taxing the military pensions, previously considered by the Finance Ministry. Glváč acknowledged the efforts of the Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Peter Vojtek, who accompanied both ministers to a number of meetings with soldiers and policemen, explaining situation to them.
● Countries of the Mediterranean region - including Cyprus - are plagued by a hereditary red blood-cell disorder called thalasemia. Patients suffering from its worst form, including children, are fully reliant on blood provided by volunteer blood donors. That led 29 soldiers from the Slovak contingent and 11 soldiers from the Serbian contingent of the UNFICYP Sector 4 to donate blood in the Center for Thalasemia Treatment belonging to the General Hospital Nicosia North. They were assisted by a team of Slovak medics assigned to the Medical Center Camp of General Štefánik in Famagusta. ● On Nov. 27 Brig. Gen. Ondřej Novosad, the Land Forces Commander, met with Lt. Col. Lars Ukrewitz, the German Defense Attaché to the Slovak Republic. They discussed the role and structure of the Land Forces, their goals and major tasks. The meeting also included a presentation describing the deployment of Slovak troops in the international crisis management operations, as well as their role in assisting Slovak citizens in times of natural calamities and industrial accidents.
On NATO National Targets 2013 (November 29) NATO Defense Planning Process (NDPP) is the major tool in building and maintaining defense capabilities in the context of both the current and future security threats, agreed Miloš Koterec, the MoD´s State Secretary and Brig. Gen. Jorgen Hansen-Nord, ACT Assistant Chief of Staff. The meeting was held on the backdrop of joint consultations on the proposed NATO National Targets 2013 for the Slovak republic, held between the NATO team and the MoD delegation on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, 2012 in Bratislava as a part of the 3 rd stage of NDPP. The goal of the consultations was to harmonize the NATO requirements for forces and capabilities by 2024 with the Slovak potential and plans.
● On Nov. 28 the Air Force Command selected its best NCO and best soldier in 2012. From among the nominees, the jury headed by Col. Miroslav Korba, the Air Force Commander, picked Staff Sergeant Martin Grec, member of the Prešov Rotary Wing as the best NCO, and Corporal Juraj Horňák, member of the Anti-Aircraft Brigade from Nitra as the best private. ● On Nov. 29, the Military Police Command in Trenčín chose its best NCO in 2012. The commission headed by the Director of Military Police Col. Jaroslav Hamár voted on the following finalists: Staff Sergeant Štefan Tököly; Sergeant First Class Jozef Kmeť; Staff Sergeant Radoslav Chebeň; Master Sergeant Maroš Štefan, and Master Sergeant Ondrej Bihari. In the end Staff Sergeant Radoslav Chebeň from the Banská Bystrica unit was named the best NCO of Military Police. On Dec. 6 in Zvolen, Chebeň will represent the Military Police in the finals, which will yield the best overall NCO of the Armed Forces. ● From Nov. 27 to Nov. 29, 2012 the representatives of the Geographical Service of the Czech Army visited the Institute of Topography. Their goal was to explore avenues for cooperation in military geography, education and exchange of geographical data. The delegation, led by Col. Pavel Skála, the Chief of Geographical Service of the Czech Army, included the Director of the Military Office of Geography and Hydrometeorology (VGHMÚř) in Dobruška, Col. Marek Vaněk. ● The Department for Training, Education and Special Preparation of the Specialized Medical Treatments Unit in Liptovský Mikuláš concluded the Entry specialized training for military professionals of the OR-2 medical classification. The training focused on providing first aid in field conditions, transport of sick and wounded, and managing and leading subordinated medical care personnel.
Lt. Gen. Vojtek in China (November 29) The Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Peter Vojtek travelled to China to discuss the matters pertaining to the military cooperation between the Chinese People´s Liberation Army (CPLA) and the Slovak Armed Forces. Vojtek visited the Lanzhou Military District antiaricraft brigade and the discussions with the Chief of the General Staff of the CPLA Gen. Fenghui Fang focused on ways to develop cooperation in international peacekeeping operations, training and education. Next on the agenda was a visit to the Marine Command in Shanghai, followed by a meeting with the Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Guanglie Liang.
Another Slovak Unit Leaves Afghanistan
Students Wrote Of Missions
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(November 26) The 8th annual MoD's literary contest open to high-school and university students attracted 251 authors. This year's topic was “Slovak Soldiers In Foreign Missions”. The jury picked 6 finalists, wherefrom the winners were selected by public vote via the MoD's Facebook site. The winner is Ján Strachan from the Comenius University of Bratislava with the story titled Samuel (2241 votes); the runners-up are Radovan Potočár from the Masaryk University of Brno (Soldiers from the other side - 1842 votes), and Matúš Bachynec from the Bratislava Academy of Arts (Messages Sent - 1707 votes). The jury awarded Special Award to Michal Badin from the Dvory nad Žitavou high school and a honorable mention to Milan Kolesík from the Laco Novomeský Grammar School in Senica.
(November 26) The ceremonial handover of the symbolic key to the Tarin Kowt military base and the act of decorating soldiers with the Non Article 5 NATO Medals for service in the ISAF operation marked the end of another era of Slovak presence in Afghanistan - the 63member Australian SECFOR team took over the Force Protection duties at the base from the hands of the 53member Slovak company of guardsmen commanded by First Lieutenant Roman Ďurika. General Crane, the Australian Commander of Joint Task Force 633, personally thanked the last rotation of Slovak guardsmen at the Tarin Kowt base, and all Slovak soldiers who have carried out the Force Protection duties at Camp Holland in the last four years. Col. Stuart, the Commander of Combined Team of Uruzgan, acknowledged professionalism and credibility of Slovak soldiers and their contribution to the everyday life at the military base. Col. Svetozár Bohuš, the highest ranking Slovak officer at the base, addressed the homecoming troops on behalf of the Slovak Armed Forces Command. However, not all Slovak troops are leaving the Uruzgan province, home of the Tarin Kowt base. Two soldiers remain in the international Provincial Reconstruction Team, tasked with assistance in building Afghanistan's infrastructure; 15 continue to assist their American colleagues in training the Afghan army as a part of the CSS Military Advisory Team under the command of a Slovak colonel. Six Slovak soldiers are deployed in the first CSS MAT D-30 rotation tasked with teaching Afghan soldiers to maintain and operate D-30 howitzers.
eBULLETIN MoD SR
November 26 - December 2, 2012