Deployment ceremony for Cyprus-bound troops (March 14) Last Friday, units of the SVK Armed Forces that are to be deployed to the UNFICYP operation under the UN auspices held a pre-deployment ceremony in the premises of Nitra barracks. Within the March rotation, 84 professionals, to include 5 female soldiers, are leaving for Cyprus to perform tasks in the UNFICYP mission. Colonel Miroslav Lorinc, Commander of the Anti-aircraft Missile Brigade greeted Brigadier General Miroslav Korba, Commander of the SVK Air Force; Sergeant Major Vladimír Beluš, Chief Non-Commissioned Officer of the SVK Armed Forces; Colonel Peter Prokop, Commander of the Transportation Wing Kuchyňa; Colonel Milan Mosný, Commander of the Command, Control and Surveillance Brigade Zvolen; Colonel Vladimír Lisý, Commander of the Mixed Wing Sliač; Colonel Milan Hamar, Director of Military Police and other guests. Brigadier General Korba, together with First Lieutenant Jozef Michňák, rotating chaplain and Andrej Čučvara, Commander of the rotating unit, wished the deploying troops every success. Family members and friends of the deploying troops were also present at the ceremony. ● CHOD Lt. Gen. Peter Vojtek met the new Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Slovakia, Her Excellency Mrs. Lívia Klausová. During the meeting, he highlighted the fact that the bilateral defence relations with the Czech Republic are above and beyond the standard scope of cooperation. Also, he underlined the excellent collaboration with the Office of the Defence Attaché of the Czech Republic to Slovakia. “Even in the future, we are interested in continuing and deepening our cooperation in those areas that help us find optimum and reasonable solutions to overcoming niche capabilities in favour of armed forces in both our countries,” said Lt. Gen. Vojtek.
Our CBR defence capabilities (March 11) “The Slovak CBR defence capabili es (chemical, biological and radiological defence) are greatly appreciated both home and abroad,” concluded Minister of Defence of the SR Mar n Glváč a er his visit to the training center in Zemianske Kostoľany, where he acquainted himself with the issue of prepara on of the chemical unit earmarked for the Organiza on for the Prohibi on of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in 2014. “Today we have observed the training of 55 soldiers from Rožňava who are declared as part of readily deployable units, ready to respond to the needs of OPCW,” said the Minister. Since its reconstruc on, 5 thousand soldiers from abroad have undergone their training in the centre Zemianske Kostoľany, to include 1,500 soldiers from the North Atlan c Alliance. “I take every opportunity to promote this unique centre during my nego a ons with foreign partners,” said the Minister. Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Toderiška, Commander of the CBRN ba alion explained that, in a worst-case scenario, our chemical unit earmarked for OPCW is able to deploy on the site of deployment within 5 days. “This year, we are on a stand-by to deploy as part of NATO Response Force, with 112 troops ready to intervene in any situa on posing a radiological, chemical or biological threat,” he stated.
● The Trenčín-based Garrison Club opened an exhibition entitled “A Memorial of the Czech and Slovak Resistance Movement in 1939 – 1945”, with its exhibits borrowed from Slavičín, a town in Moravia. Among the attendance was the Chair of the SVK Generals' Club – North, Maj. Gen. (retd) Marián Mikluš, Maj. Gen. (retd) Ján Ďurove, and Maj. Gen. (retd) Svätozár Naďovič. The exhibition will be held until 10 April. Col. (retd) Miroslav Ondráš, representing the Trenčín-based Military History Club, said that, in turn, two exhibitions, entitled "The Czechoslovak Army in France" and "The Czechoslovak Army in the Middle East and in northern Africa", were sent to Moravia for a travelling exhibition tour of the cities in the Zlín region. ● The Crisis Emergency Response Group from the Military Police Unit in Banská Bystrica (CERG MPU BB) conducted an intense training exercise at Training Centre Lešť. The aim of the exercise was to fine-tune the group's coordination in tactical shooting scenarios in built-up areas. Day 2 of the training exercise involved shooting the SA vz.58V submachine gun. The final exercise at the Jakub Building Gun facility involved live firing, using the HK UMP submachine gun and the ČZ 75D pistol. Upon the conclusion of the exercise, a memorial plaque dedicated to Master Sergeant Ľubomír Igaz, who had tragically died during an exercise on 12 September 2013, was unveiled on the premises of the training facility. The remembrance ceremony was attended by members of CERG MPU BB, MPU Prešov, MP Directorate Trenčín, and Training Centre Lešť. ● Munitions Testing Centre Nováky (MTC Nováky), subordinated to Logistics Base ZT-5, organized, from 24 February to 11 March, its third course for materiel management personnel supervising munitions (ZT-5) in compliance with the SVK Armed Forces Training Guidelines for the Training Year 2014, and mandated by the Main Mining Office in Banská Štiavnica. The aim of the course was to provide short-term specialized training, retraining and education for employees and professional servicemembers in order to enable them to work with munitions and explosives. The final exam will be administered in front of an inter-departmental examination committee on the premises of MTC Nováky on 25 March.
Australia's concerns over Ukraine
(March 11) SVK MOD State Secretary Miloš Koterec met the Australian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. David Stuart. The meeting was mainly centred on Ukraine. The Ambassador expressed concerns over the ongoing situation in Ukraine. “Enforcing one's interests through hard power is reminiscent of the paradigm that should have stayed in the last century,” said the Ambassador. Slovakia and Australia cooperated as part of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Servicemembers from both countries served alongside each other at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt from 2008 to 2012. Their cooperation was deemed a success, therefore, in the words of the SVK MOD State Secretary, our bilateral relations should be further fostered and deepened.
Woman adjudged the best trainee
(March 12) Garrison Training Facility Sučany (GTF Sučany) hosted a final basic military training exercise involving the trainee candidates in the preparatory state service. All of the 155 personnel, of whom 9 were women, passed the final tests. For the first time ever, a female candidate was adjudged as the best trainee soldier – Trainee Soldier Andrea Kováčová, who is, among others, the title holder of Miss Dance Slovak Republic 2013, multiple hip-hop dance medallist, PRODIGY-B dance group coach, and certified fitness centre trainer.
● Organized by the Training, Education and Specialized Preparation Section, Specialized Medical and Veterinary Activities Division, Surgeon General Office Ružomberok, a first aid course took place in its detached workplace in Liptovský Mikuláš between 11 and 13 March, focusing on rendering first aid, applying wound bandaging techniques and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
M. Glváč: Defence Cooperation within V4 Viewed as Highly Dynamic
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(March 14) “Cooperation among V4 departments of defence is viewed as exceptionally dynamic,” said Minister of Defence of the SR Martin Glváč after the negotiation of heads of defence departments in Visegrad, Hungary, on 14 March. The fact that three documents laying foundations for closer cooperation in various fields have been signed recently speaks volumes about the intensity of cooperation,” he said. Cooperation should predominantly focus on development of joint capabilities, on exercises, procurement and on the international crisis management. “As for the joint procurement, we need to harmonize our equipment, which will enable us to achieve major economies of resources,” said Minister Glváč. He extended his thanks with respect to the Hungarian presidency and expressed his belief that
during the upcoming Slovak presidency the V4 countries would continue successful cooperation. As stated by the Hungarian Minister of Defence Csaba Hende, one of the most significant cooperation
eBULLETIN MoD SR
projects is the future joint Visegrad EU Battle Group, which will be in a state of readiness in the first half of 2016. Also the Polish Minister Tomasz Siemoniak and the Head of the Czech Department of Defence Martin Stropnický appreciated the cooperation as highly successful. Ministers of Defence also commemorated the anniversary of their countries’ accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Heads of V4 defence departments also met with their partners from Central Europe Defence Cooperation Group (CEDC), i.e. with heads of defence departments of Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. They addressed the issues of security situation in Ukraine and in the Balkans, the conclusions of the European Council meeting held in December last year, and the incentives of development of defence capabilities within CEDC.
March 10 - 16, 2014