The faculties and centers of the University of Defence presented themselves at the opening of a new exhibition entitled Military Education: History, Development, and the Present – “The Army, My Life Choice”. The vernissage took place on Tuesday, 2 September, in front of the General Staff Headquarters of the Czech Armed Forces at Dejvické Square in Prague.
The aim of the exhibition, prepared by a team of historians from the Military History Institute in Prague under the leadership of Prokop Tomek, is to demonstrate that military education not only has a rich tradition but also a clear future.
Among the guests present, including students from Czech military schools, was the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, General Karel Řehka, who also addressed the audience. “This exhibition not only illustrates the development of educational institutions, but also shows how the very ideal of a soldier, the perception of a soldier, and his way of thinking have changed throughout history. From cadets with rifles or muskets to students and pilots of sophisticated combat aircraft – it has also been about changes in thinking: from sheer obedience to mission command, critical thinking, and independent judgment. This, too, is important, and it continues to be reflected in military education today,” General Řehka emphasized.
For more than twenty years, the University of Defence has been an integral part of the system of military education as the Czech Republic’s only military university. At the opening ceremony, it presented itself through its faculties and centers. The Faculty of Military Leadership showcased research and development in the field of military equipment and supplies. Visitors to the Faculty of Military Technology booth could view an FVP flight unit, a student-developed autonomous drone, and special munitions designed for security interventions, for example, on aircraft. Representatives of the Military Faculty of Medicine demonstrated elements of emergency medicine and presented outcomes of research and creative work in the fields of military toxicology and radiology.
Three of the University’s centers were also featured. The Centre for Security and Military-Strategic Studies presented its publishing activities, the Language Centre offered visitors the chance to test their English proficiency, and the Physical Training and Sport Centre invited attendees to test their strength, for example, using a mobile pull-up bar.
The exhibition on the history of military education, consisting of eleven double-sided free-standing panels, will remain on display in front of the General Staff Headquarters of the Czech Armed Forces until 13 October of this year.
Author: Viktor Sliva, Photo: Veronika Hamanová
