Military Police personnel have prepared summer camp full of experiences for kids from children's home

Military Police (MP) personnel of the Crisis Management, Training and Canine Branch, MP Department Vlkanová – Hronsek, have prepared a summer camp programme for kids from the Children's Home Kráľova Lehota in the third week of July. As part of the three-day programme, they have provided the kids with theoretical knowledge and practical skills from such areas as transport, military working dog (MWD), topographical and medical training at the Lešť Training Centre and at the MP Department Vlkanová – Hronsek.

Collaboration between the Children's Home Kráľova Lehota and the MP Department Vlkanová – Hronsek began as early as 2011. Lt Col Marián Turanský, Director of the Crisis Management, Training and Canine Branch at the MP Dept Vlkanová – Hronsek, said: “We started off, more or less, with static displays of MP weapons, equipment and clothing before organising a military camp for a couple of days. We want to give the children who missed out on an ideal start in their lives positive and useful experiences. Their joy is our greatest motivation. Thanks to the summer camps, we hope some of them will become members of the Slovak Armed Forces or members of the Military Police.”

Training instructor SSgt Milan Gmiter explained that this year the youngsters are taking on a lot more demanding programme as there are boys aged 15 to 17 among them. “After being welcomed to our centre in Vlkanová, they learnt medical basics to be able to give first aid. Then, they completed topographical training and practical activities. At 22:00hrs, lights were out, but we woke them up at about 01:00hrs, because they were tasked to mount an ambush. After that, they went back to bed at 02:30hrs. They had reveille at 05:30hrs, followed by physical training. No sooner had they had breakfast, they went straight to the Training Centre Lešť,“ said SSgt Gmiter.

As part of the programme at Lešť, the children saw a demonstration of an injured soldier's extraction from a danger zone with the use of the hoisting system and a rescue basket, a triangular evacuation harness and a rescue strop. Under the leadership of experienced MP instructors, they enjoyed activities built around the Jakub Koloseum helicopter simulator. They also familiarised themselves with the basics of rock climbing at the Bralce rock climbing site.