Soldiers verify activation

Chief of the General Staff of the SVK Armed Forces Lt Gen Milan Maxim gave orders for the activation of the Reserve Company, earmarked for the European Union Force Althea (EUFOR ALTHEA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be verified. “Unexpected verification inspections for troops are the best way to determine their readiness, eradicate deficiencies, and be better prepared for crisis situations,” remarked SVK Minister of Defence Martin Glváč. The earmarked unit of the 11th Mechanized Battalion Martin is currently on stand-by for 12 months on the territory of the Slovak Republic. Being ready and certified, it is now poised to be transported to the area of operations, where, if deployed, it would carry out operational tasks under the EUFOR ALTHEA Commander, with the main remit of securing public order. Based on EUFOR ALTHEA’s reconfigured concept as of 1 September 2012, only a minimum force (600 troops, of which 35 are SVK Armed Forces service members), has been deployed directly in Bosnia and Herzegovina to monitor the security situation.