Summer Survival

For the third year the Military Academy in Vyškov could welcome teams from different AFCR units and facilities to test their powers and skills in individual events of the military multi-contest Summer Survival 2003.

The following six three-member teams applied for the competition this year:

• Military Department of the PT and Sport Faculty of Charles University in Prague
• Ground Forces College Vyškov – Team "A"
• Ground Forces College Vyškov – Team "B"
• 414^th Training Center Vyškov
• 11^th Reconnaissance Battalion Prostějov
• 31^st Training Center Velká Hleďsebe

„This contest has been organized after a two-year interval caused by the terrorist attacks against the United States and last year’s floods; hence, as a matter of fact, we are back at the starting line and we are again learning the methods of organizing this competition. Even though we have only six teams, I am very glad that we can develop this tradition, and I do believe that next year we will have a richer experience so as to be able to hold an international competition,” said LTC Petr Hanák, Head of PT Department at the Military Academy in Vyškov who, together with his colleagues, organized this contest, prepared obstacles and checkpoints and rated the contestants.

Although the contest is called Summer Survival, the weather in Vyškov was cold and damp, which made this already tough competition even more difficult and, in many cases, had a direct effect on the performance of individual competitors.

After the initial welcome by COL (GS) Michal Vass, who greeted all participants and wished them good luck, the teams moved to the Aquapark in Vyškov, where the competition started. The first event – surmounting artificial obstacles in the swimming pool – was complicated with mandatory clothing on the bodies of competitors. This first event already tested the prowess of individual teams. The truth is that all thirteen events of the military multi-contest are running nonstop for four days and three nights. Individual obstacles much deplete physical forces and mental endurance, which cannot be refreshed until the end of the competition. Moreover, every fault is punished with penalty points that may influence the total rating.

After completing the swimming tasks, the teams moved to the Dědice Military Training Area to accomplish two long phases in its rough terrain. Here, individual racers ran with heavy burdens, fired with assault rifles, carried wounded on stretchers and waded upstream in the creek. In the rocks near Otaslavice, the teams rappelled themselves and roped down a wounded climber, in Křenůvky bridged over a 20 m deep quarry, and in the night, at the Myslejovice Dam, they ran orienteering and raced in canoes.

„As one of the most challenging events, I regard the Warfighter Track, where we had to climb over 2 m high walls with a full pack, leap over trenches and run through burning tunnels,” said WO1 Radek Štekl, member of the team representing the Military Department of the PT and Sport Faculty of Charles University. Nevertheless, some events might have been regarded as more difficult, especially with respect to the fact that they disqualified some teams from the contest. First of them was night orienteering, which put an end to the effort of the team from Velká Hleďsebe. The second was the canoe race on Myslejovice Dam, where the team representing the 414^th Training Center Vyškov capsized its vessel, and the racers, as they were forced to dry their drenched clothing in the chilly night, had no power to continue. Thus only four teams remained to overcome the last obstacle, the skill testing competition on the JAKUB trainer, which decided on the final standings.

Colonel Michal Vass, the Vyškov Military Academy Commandant, handed the AFCR Chief of General Staff Cup to the winning team consisting of CW2 Michal Mašek, CW2 Petr Špok and WO1 Radek Štekl from the Military Department of the PT and Sport Faculty of Charles University in Prague, which finished the competition with 9 points. The prizes for the 2^nd position came to the hands of CW2 Robert Šiška, CW2 Pavel Zahradníček and CW2 Filip Smolík representing the Ground Forces College Vyškov – Team "A" that achieved 24 points. The Team "B" from the same college, represented by WO1 Michal Kadlec, CW3 Martin Junec and CW2 Štěpán Zela, accumulated 25 points and reached 3^rd place.

As responsible organizers, we believe that the outstanding performances and attractiveness of this competition will also persuade other AFCR units and facilities to join the „SUMMER SURVIVAL 2004“ military multi-contest to be held next year. The Military Academy in Vyškov is prepared for providing an excellent background for all participants.

Text: MAJ Ľubomír Sedlák