On Wednesday, August 20, participants of the Basic Training Course faced their third and final live-fire exercise—this time at a longer range. The course, an intensive four-week program, provides future students of the University of Defence with their first knowledge and skills essential for the role of a professional soldier. Successful completion of the course is a prerequisite for starting their studies at the University of defence.

“Who scored the highest?” asked Brigadier General (B-G) Jan Farlík, Rector-Commandant of the University of Defence, during his visit to the Březina training area as one of the platoons was leaving the firing range. He praised the best shooter, who achieved 48 points, and recalled how, at the beginning of his own career, he was rewarded with extra leave for his accurate marksmanship. B-G Farlík thanked the soldiers for their decision to put on the uniform and encouraged them to strengthen their team spirit. “Don’t be rivals to one another, be friends,” he said, pointing out one of the key qualities of a soldier—mutual trust when carrying out missions.

In addition to shooting practice, knowledge tests, and other training elements, the future students had also completed their first complex field exercise by the middle of the third week, spending one night in improvised shelters. They will undergo the same survival training again during the upcoming weekend.

“I expected it to be worse than it actually is,” said Nella Kudová, reflecting on the physical side of the course. Her eight years of competitive floorball give her an advantage. She especially enjoys the shooting exercises, while crawling is her least favorite activity. Private Casey Long, who has chosen to study military paramedicine, considers the sleep schedule to be the hardest challenge. With a smile, he shared his plan for the first days after the month-long training: “The guys and I agreed—we’re not going to do anything. We’ll just sleep and sleep.”

After visiting several training stations, B-G Farlík expressed his appreciation for the quality of training and the military conduct of the future students: “Even after several weeks of training, they still keep their sense of humor, which shows they are mentally resilient. That is why I am confident they will all successfully begin their studies at the University of Defence.”

Author: Viktor Sliva