The Czech army will be calling on active reserve soldiers to assist at the National Vaccination Centre in Prague, where they will aid existing personel at the Central Military Hospital.
According to a report from CzDefense, the Army will deploy the active reserve from July 14 to August 15, 2021. The decision was made by Chief of General Staff, Army General Aleš Opata.
“The reservists helped volunteers throughout the pandemic in various ways. Now is the time to call them to the service. We also want to verify the process of mass calling in Active Reserve, which has been governed by new legislation since 2016,” General Opata explains.
“We are considering the operational deployment of the Active Reserve for each new task,” Lieutenant General Josef Kopecký said. “In this deployment, we have been waiting for higher vaccination coverage in society and we will also have vaccines for Active Reserve so that everyone has the same protection.”
The chief hygienist of the Ministry of Defense has recommended, but not required vaccinations for all serving soldiers. If they wish to be innoculated, they can receive the vaccine, and only one dose is sufficient.
CzDefense reported in January that military recruitment in the Czech Republic was growing, “Despite the coronavirus pandemic (or perhaps because of the coronavirus pandemic).” General Opata listed a few main reasons why he thought interest in the military was growing.
“I would say that the interest in military service still persists. The military is an attractive, responsible and reliable employer and has been the most trusted institution in the eyes of the public for some time. In connection with the current crisis, the soldiers as well as medics, firefighters and police officers are more visible and more heard about nowadays. The army has also become an institution where those interested can find social security in these uncertain times. The army is open to young people, people who are not afraid of demands, responsibilities, sometimes even discomfort and who want to work on themselves.”
