Minister Gajdoš meets with winners of Students’ Defence Duels series at Lešť

Today (22 June 2019), Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš met with the secondary school students undertaking a 48-hour military training, dubbed “CAMP 2019”, led by professional Army instructors at Slovakia’s unique Training Centre Lešť. This is meant to be a reward for 40 winners who had made it through the regional rounds of the Students’ Defence Duals series and the Štúr’s Pen Literary Contest. This, too, is a way how the MOD tries to increase students’ interest in homeland defence, raise their awareness of civil defence, and motivate them to join the Slovak Armed Forces.

Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš said: “During Camp 2019, students have a unique chance to practise different capabilities of our service personnel and gain skills that can literally save them in crisis situations and adverse conditions.” He reminded that an Army Recruitment Team is present at the event to provide the students with information on how to enlist into the Slovak Armed Forces and join Voluntary Military Training (VMT).

Camp 2019 offers signal, marksmanship, tactical, topographical and medical training. Apart from this, students familiarise themselves with the basics of CBRN Defence, cross obstacles in the mountains, and practise survival in crisis conditions.