2/2020 Czech Armed Forces 2019 David Jirka: I do not expect words of praise, I am happy among my comrades-in-arms, I still proudly represent From a rower to the rifleman Rower David Jirka, a silver medallist at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and at the 2003 World Championships in Milano, ended his active sports career at ASC Dukla. In 2017, he joined another team and wears an "outfit" of the Honour Guard of the Army of the Czech Republic. David Jirka started his military career in the year 2001, during his compulsory basic military factsheet service in Prague’s sports club Dukla, where Nickname: Olí he subsequently continued as a professional Main discipline: quadruple sculls athlete-civilian. The opportunity to put on his Original team: Rowing Club Vajgar Jindřichův Hradec uniform opened up to him in 2005, right after Greatest achievements: Military Sports Centre Dukla Praha he won a silver medal in rowing, quadruple sculls, at the 2004 Athens Olympics. "In the Dukla team, everyone had to earn his place, namely with the sporting success he his main task was to learn everything that activities require a great deal of self-discipline, achieved. The length of the work contract every soldier of the Honour Guard must patience, accuracy, mutual respect, but also depended mainly on the man’s ability to train master for the execution of protocol acts. even relaxation.” hard, as training hours lasted five to six hours Three months of intensive and hard training, a day," recalls David Jirka. He also participated which each member goes through, prepared Return among the Olympians in the following Beijing Olympics in 2008 and him for an exemplary representation in public With his balanced nature and modest qualified himself for the 2009 World Rowing and at the same time identified him with behaviour, David Jirka spreads a positive Championships. military behaviour and performance. For atmosphere even among his comrades-in- After many successes in the international David Jirka, these three months represented arms in the platoon. Now he is starting to arena, the management of ASC Dukla offered a high psychological burden and change in all train more and more intensively on a single him a job to train young people under 23 respects." skiff and again he would like to become years of age. "The coach can usually only Corporal Jirka adds: "I was used to stress and actively involved in top sports. "In September be a civilian, so my decision to accept this tension before the races, but there you get rid of this year, I would like to participate in the offer, to become a coach, meant to 'take off' of it during physical activity. With the Honour Prague Mayor’s Shield Regatta. If I succeed, a military uniform, and that was difficult for Guard, I had to adapt a lot and learn to get the in 2021 I will try to run the so-called control me, as I wanted to continue serving in the stress under control even more." races with the best possible result. Only military. That is why I immediately nodded at The units of Honour Guard of the Czech Armed here my new chances for nomination for the the offer of the Prague Garrison Command forces provide protocol activities throughout Olympics may open again, as well as a chance and since 2017 I have been serving with the the Czech Republic and abroad, as well as the to return to the Olympic family," concludes his Honour Guard of the Czech Armed Forces as ceremonial welcome of various state foreign story, with a wide smile, corporal David Jirka, a senior rifleman in the rank of corporal,” Jirka delegations, ceremonial military musters, Olympian, honest sportsman and supposedly remembers his decision. and pleasant exhibition performances, and an ordinary boy from Jindřichův Hradec. in this way they represent the Army of the Three months of hard training Czech Republic in public. David Jirka further By MAJ Eva Cajthamlová, Lieutenant Colonel Miroslav Leška, commander explains: “In fact, I continue to represent our photos: archives of CPL David Jirka of the Honour Guard Battalion of the ACR, country, now no longer in sports suits, but in recalls Jirka’s beginnings very well: "Initially, a ceremonial uniform. My past and present Czech Armed Forces 2019 2 The "Forty-one", live deployment 15 Weapons of the poor 18 It must be seen 22 Rescuing isolated warriors 25 Investment in the future of the country 28 The mission always ends with the return of the soldiers 31 Ready to pass on new skills 34 On the wings of MiG-21 and JAS-39 Gripen 37 Responding to unexpected situations 38 Engagement sim 40 Stress under control 42 Fast Rope 44 A reservist MEP 46 Death came in the midst of the Storm 48 Published by MoD Czech Republic Communication and Promotion Department Tychonova 1, 160 01 Praha 6, Czech Republic www.army.cz Identification number: 60162694 Address: Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic David Jirka as a member of the quadruples Phone: +420 973 215 648, +420 973 215 786 sculls during the Olympic race Editor -in -chief: Vladimír Marek Layout: Milan Syrový Translation: Jaroslav Furmánek, Jan Jindra Cover photo: MAJ Ladislav Kabát Distributed by MHI Prague, Production Section Rooseveltova 23, 161 05 Praha 6, Czech Republic Ol'ga Endlová, tel. +420 973 215 563 Printed by: Czech Print Center, a. s. ISSN 1804-9672 Registration number: MK ČR E 18227 Published in November 2020 Czech Armed Forces Actual number of MoD personnel in 2005–2020 At Military Defence Civil servants Total 2019 professionals civilians strength 1 Jan 2005 22,272 17,858 40,130 PERSONNEL 1 Jan 2006 23,092 15,992 39,084 1 Jan 2007 24,245 14,400 38,645 In 2019, a total of 1,464 new military 1 Jan 2008 24,355 11,773 36,128 professionals enlisted in the line of 1 Jan 2009 24,103 10,575 34,678 recruitment plus 428 were enlisted as 1 Jan 2010 23,136 9,017 32,153 students of the University of Defence and 1 Jan 2011 22,261 8,303 30,564 the Military Department of the Faculty of 1 Jan 2012 21,751 8,248 29,999 Physical Education and Sport of the Charles 1 Jan 2013 21,733 8,288 30,021 University. 1 Jan 2014 21,011 7,530 28,541 The total number of outgoing personnel in 1 Jan 2015 20,864 7,487 28,351 2019 comprised 1,186 military professionals, 1 Jan 2016 21,970 6,411 1,131 29,512 554 defence civilians and 85 civil servants. 1 Jan 2017 23,184 6,515 1,148 30,847 In 2019, a total of 673 servicemembers 1 Jan 2018 24,251 6,691 1,178 32,120 were newly assigned to the Active Reserve 1 Jan 2019 25,105 6,796 1,183 33,084 Component. 1 Jan 2020 25,899 6,896 1,163 33,958 Actual strength of the Czech Armed Forces Active Reserve Component 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 1,098 1,093 1,128 1,214 1,237 1,259 1,488 2,194 2,788 3,190 Performance on the Czech Armed Forces’ 2019 recruitment target Year 2019 Recruitment target Applicants Enlisted % *Mil. Department 750 1,143 428 57.1 Recruitment 1,450 5,701 1,464 101.0 *Military Department of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of the Charles University Performance on the recruitment target for the Active Reserve Component of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic Year Recruitment Applicants Enlisted % target 2018 700 1,581 811 115.9 2019 700 1,463 673 96.1 Active Reserve Component in 2019 December 2018 December 2019 Growth Growth in % Active reserve 2,788 3,190 402 14.4 Performance on recruitment targets Mil Mil Mil % ARC ARC ARC % recruitment actually recruitment actual target enlisted target recruitment 2016 2,000 2,148 107.4 - - - 2017 2,000 2,174 108.7 700 886 126.5 2018 2,000 1,977 98.9 700 811 115.9 2019 2,200 1,892 86 700 673 96.1 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY STRUCTURES Czech Servicemembers in International Military Structures in 2019 In 2019, a total of 201 Czech Armed Forces servicemembers were assigned to the NATO and EU international military staffs, NATO and EU agencies, Czech Armed Forces national representations in international military staffs, who were posted to NATO assignments in the territory of fifteen NATO nations and Ukraine. OTAN Czech Armed Forces representatives also served in the capacity of Director J7 ACO/SHAPE Mons, Belgium, Deputy Chief of Staff Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, the Netherlands, Chief of Staff Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC) Bydgoszcz, Poland, and Deputy Commander Multinational Division Northeast (MND NE) Elblag, Poland. Assignments to international staffs Number and workplaces abroad Permanent mission in Mons: 158 Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and Ukraine Permanent mission in Brussels: 35 Belgium Permanent mission in Norfolk: 8 USA TOTAL 201 READINESS FORCES, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND OBSERVER MISSIONS NATO and EU Readinnes Forces NATO Response Force (NRF) Units with total strength of 1,200 personnel were assigned to NRF in 2019. A Czech Armed Forces Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) battery comprising 200 servicemembers was assigned to the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force German-led Brigade on standby to deploy within days. A mechanised battalion complemented with combat support forces and combat support service units with total strength of 1,000 personnel was assigned to the Polish led NATO Response Force brigade at 45 days’ notice to move.