BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 4. The 11th Slovenian Armed Forces Best Squad competition with international participation officially began with an opening ceremony, at the Baron Andrej Čehovin Barracks in Postojna, Trend reports.
The event participants were addressed by Senior Enlisted Leader of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Sergeant Major of the Armed Forces Robert Rotar. A total of 17 units will participate in the competition.
As emphasized by Sergeant Major of the Slovenian Armed Forces Robert Rotar in his address, this competition goes beyond the borders of our homeland and connects units from seven countries in the spirit of genuine military rivalry and mutual respect. He added that it is not only considered as a test of strength, knowledge, and endurance, but as a test of military skills, experience, cohesion, joint cooperation, and teamwork. He also expressed his expectation that during the competition the participants would prove that "the values we emphasize in the military are not just words, but a living foundation of our daily lives, expressed through our actions and decisions upon which the military organization is built."
The competition is organized by the Logistics Brigade and features ten Slovenian Armed Forces squads (14th Engineer Battalion, 18th CBRN Defence Battalion, 20th Light Infantry Battalion, 74th Medium Infantry Battalion, 157th Logistic Support Battalion, 670th Logistic Support Battalion, Military Schools Centre, 10th Reconnaisance Battalion – two units, and 132nd Mountain Battalion) and seven international squads (from Croatia, Italy, Hungary, the Colorado National Guard, the Republic of North Macedonia, and two squads from Slovakia).
Last year, the overall winners of the competition were members of the 20th Light Infantry Battalion (former 20th Infantry Regiment) of the 72nd Brigade of the Slovenian Armed Forces. This year’s competition route covers a total of approximately 40 kilometers (25 km on the first day and 15 km on the second day).
The aim of the competition, which will conclude on Friday, 5 September, with a closing ceremony at the Park of Military History in Pivka, is to evaluate capabilities and knowledge of basic military battlefield survival skills, squad procedures, teamwork, as well as to strengthen combat spirit and promote healthy competitiveness among Slovenian Armed Forces units. Each squad is composed of nine members.
