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The purpose of this article is to explain methods of the application of artillery fire, according to the width and shape of targets by artillery regiment (without rocket battery) and by artillery battery, if components/data for effective fire are set by substitute means, without computer with respective SW. The assignment of optimal method of artillery fire and its professional implementation has a great influence on FFE (fire for effect). For the sake of economy, live firing practice is executed only to a limited extend. Most of activities are carried out only in the field of command skills, keeping documents, commanders' performance and training gun crews; their reactions to commands and orders. The article is accompanied by several tablets with data concerning application of artillery fire, variable data for aiming devices, adjusted ranges of fire, widths of target divided into several sheaves of fire (converge sheaf, sheaf for target width), their corrections.

The main objective of the ACR is the most effective and best defence of the country, with the use of principles of collective defence. But the military activities are accompanied by damages, wastes in living environment. The classification of those effects is being done by the method called Hazard and Impact Index that enables to set probable damages in advance and to adopt preventive measures to prevent them. The process starts with evaluating objects that might be endanger, materials, vehicles, activities, energy, together with impact on environment. Impact groups are divided roughly into two groups: natural surrounding, and socio-cultural surrounding. Some are expected, other unexpected, frequently they are mixed. Most of military damages are unintended, accidental. The article is accompanied by the tables introducing figures of Hazard and Impact Index.

The article deals with duties of a sniper and a military observer, sharp shooting at long distances, movement at areas in which operations are being carried out. Snipers are trained marksmen who are specialized in sniping the enemy. They are usually sited away form the main force, so that they can concentrate on shooting at selected targets instead of being drawn into general firefight. They are also less likely to be affected when the main force comes under artillery fire. The modern sniper is not alone, he is usually employed in team of two. The author also describes rifles and other weapons and equipments snipers are armed. The article is supplemented by graphs and tablets.

This work deals with the selection of candidates for Czech armed forces, with particular emphasis on their aptitude for professional military service in the ACR. Their age is also one of the distinct features influencing the result of selection procedures. The goal of this work is to assess the results of psychological tests of selected group of candidates (aged between 20-29 years and over 40) and their relation to age. This work entails theoretical as well as a practical concept in the form of quantitative survey. The theoretical part acquaints with the basic theoretical facts and specifications pertaining to military service. There is a detailed description of the selection process of suitability of the candidates for military service, especially psychological compatibility, differentiation of the stages of maturity and characterization of the maturity level in each. The practical part serves to introduce the observational survey. It analyses results of the psychological tests and presents the ascertained correlation between age and selected psychological variables.

An Amendment to the Environmental Policy of Czech Defence Department in 2007-2010 by Capt. Ing. David (Col. ret.) This short information is based upon articles widely published in 2005-06 in Western military magazines and newspapers. After September 11, 2001, NATO member states are discussing the deployment of nuclear weapons at non-strategical level. Among others, this is embarrassed by the Russian attitude and general demands of some European NATO nations to update Alliance strategy. What does it mean? There are voices to Řehák, Ph.D., Col. Prof. Ing. Aleš Komár, CSc. This proposal reflects challenges resulting from the professional assessment of departmental environmental policy. It is divided into three parts: (i) command and control; (ii) established practice; (iii) communication and education. The solution doesn't lie in the utilization of refuse, disposal of dangerous waste, passive environmental protection, but in earth-friendly attitude towards environment, active measures for damages prevention even during commanders' decision-making process. The basic principle rests on sustainable growth, backed by harmonization of economical, environmental and social aspects. Proposed environmental policy originates from State Environmental Principles and Czech membership in NATO alliance.

Seven new soldiers out of ten are unable to meet requirements set by annual re-examinations. The author proposes to make some special modifications in an upcoming training year: we ought to concentrate more on physical endurance of servicemen than their individual physical force. Presented tables of physical testing indicate quite clearly that the level of physical potential of Czech soldiers is behind capabilities necessary for soldiers in missions abroad, the fact verified in practice. Proposed changes embodied into the new army manual "Service Physical Training in the ACR" are expected to improve detected handicaps.

The selective PT is inseparable part of service physical training. According to the Directive published by the Fist Deputy Defence Minister, service physical exercises take place during "working hours", and are regarded as regular "work". In our army, selective PT is a new term that runs parallel with service PT and therefore must be treated in a respective context. Service PT is divided into: (i) basic PT and (ii) special PT, while selective PT covers disciplines such as military sports games, championships, sports days, preventive physical rehabilitations, one-off events, at home or abroad. The presence of soldiers at selective PT is optional, voluntary. The participation in such events can't be regarded as performance of military profession. Even though our selective PT is regulated by several norms, the author asks drafting more precise rules, as there is still confusion about some of its aspects.

The end of the Cold War was the most important factor determinating political and security realities in the world. Consequent development has gradually led to the significant reengagement of the former Warsaw Pact member states and other military alliances, especially into all form of peace operations. The Czech Republic is following the path common for the other countries in Euroatlantic region, being motivated by common struggle for enlargement this area of stability, security, democracy and peaceful resolution of crises. Hand in hand, with growing experiences from peace operations, the Czech Republic reflects specificities of national security and military strategies, as well as the level of declared military ambitions. Principal changes the Czech forces undergoing now are aiming at fulfilment basic principles of the Security Strategy of the Czech Republic. Participation of the Czech Republic in peace operations and operations outside the republic is becoming the most predominant form of deployment of our armed forces. Therefore, peace operations studies are more pressing today than ever before in the past.

Soldiers are trained for combat situations. But peace missions are not tied with the fight. In some measure, they remind more civil police actions: patrolling, duties at sentry points. But still they are activities done by servicemen; those who retire are called "military veterans". Peacekeepers are exposed to high level of stress situations. People who experience a high level of stress for a long time may become irritable, socially withdrawn, and emotionally unstable. Some people under intense and prolonged stress may start to suffer from extreme anxiety, depression, or other severe emotional problems. All psychological research can be divided into two groups: first dealing with actual stress symptoms, the second one dealing with inner structure of individual stress. Discussed model was formed according the pattern of American airborne units deployed in the Sinai Peninsula. Dimensions of psychological stress in peacekeeping operations are formed above all by "boredom", the real threats are in fact at the end of risk scale. More stress reactions come after the mission ends. Such drafted model can be used also in the Army of the Czech Republic, or in international missions of the Police Force of the Czech Republic ...244

This essay is an attempt to analyze Czech military missions abroad and tries to explain why soldiers often change their general attitudes towards surrounding world after coming home from the mission. The authoress summarizes her social and psychological experiences she gained during her engagement in Kosovo. Peacekeeping operations of this pattern are different from warlike ones. Motivation of soldiers is sometimes quite hidden, problems with family background are temporarily postponed. All this is supplemented by tensions in a constricted group, without proper social stimulation. There are several phases of adaptation, covering individual months. The patrolling activities although boring, represent one of many psychosomatics strains, apathetic and jaded soldiers are specially disposed for conflicts. Among others specifics being solved in missions are e.g. mobbing, bossing, or disorderliness.

The basic purpose of this article is to introduce mentioned new military publication, recently compiled and prepared by the team of authors from the Czech Tradoc in Vyškov. This code should unify the practice within the ACR. It is not an internal normative rule (military manual), but it has validity of service document, under the authority of the Chief of Czech General Staff. In a way, it is the document of new generation, possessing doctrinal character. Principles explained in this publication are binding, but the ways of their application and usage depend solely on army commanders. The publication integrates, unifies and harmonizes military terminology in use, describe the preparation of units for foreign missions, military exercises and their evaluations (including respective documents), defines methods of planning namely at the level of company (battery), battalion (group), underlines significance of e-learning and so on.

Since January 1, 2005, the Army of the Czech Republic has become a professional army, based upon all-volunteer principles. It has to elaborate methods to check especially physical aptitudes for military service. This could be divided into two parts: first testing candidates for military service, second, testing career soldiers. The author familiarizes us with various sets of physical test used both in the CR and the ACR. The tests must fulfil several core predispositions: they must be standardized, reliable and valid. Validity of test must be related to the external source, so that we could compare our measured data with some other ones. The units of the ACR were divided in 1996 into three performance groups, A, B, and C, according to soldier physical capabilities.

The proposals of systems approach are sometimes met with a negative acceptance. While solving difficult problems, army members exploit mere practical approaches and they proved to be successful. For that reason the author offers a short glimpse into systems thinking, as necessary starting point for pinpointing the cause of current difficulties. The system is any collection of component elements that work together to perform a task. In economic science, system is used in a variety of contexts. Military cost-effective system can be an essential programme that manage Planning Programming and Budgeting System, flexibly reacting to emerging military challenges resulting from new budget rules (based upon NATO doctrines). One of possible causes of disproportionate and undesirable reactions are wrongly set systems rules, e.g. in market systems manifested by the so-called risks factors. In the forces, the same position ought to be held by unified systems rules, taking into account individual economic subsystems (billing systems, spending elements, etc.), harmonizing them in terms of general independent economic principles.

Contemporary military psychology tries to augment psychic resistance to various forms of stress arising during carrying out the tasks of military profession. Generally speaking, there is both quantitative aspect to labour (military profession), i.e. amount, effort and time, and a qualitative one, i.e. intelligence and skill. The availability of particular types of labour can influence the location of their activities. From the point of military professionals, the soldier is exposed to three factors: sensorial, mental and emotional loads. Modern military psychology defines basis schemes and methods for psychological preparation of servicemen, it uses psychological experiments that lately enable to predict behaviour of military personnel and serve as a guideline to realize manpower's potential in the most effective ways. Proper preparedness and training help to prolong high soldiers' deployment even in high demanding surroundings.

Officially, we barred authorities from discriminating against people because of their race or gender. Women's rights guarantee that women will not face discrimination on the basis of their sex. The Armed Forces have opened up traditionally male roles to female recruits, but it became apparent that many women did not possess the strength necessary for their work. In military practice, some problems have arisen: especially during hard military drill and training. Injuries among female army personnel are increasing; they are several times higher than among male personnel. In author's opinion, this 'gender fair' policy has to be changedto a policy respecting gender differences. Even though in some cases physicalfitness both servicemen and servicewomen are identical, the tables of comparison M/F physical capabilities confirms and quantifies the excess risk for women when they undertake the same arduous training as male soldiers, and highlights the conflict between health and safety legislation and equal opportunities legislation.

The first part of the article defines notions of the competence, the power, and the authority. Next part of the article deals with the assertion of the power and authority. Those terms are not the same. Whereas the power is universal, the authority of a commander is performed only within the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR), it does not go beyond. The authority presents the "right" or "duty"; the power is the capacity to implement authority, to fulfil intentions. Business, labour, educational, governmental and military systems depend on a hierarchy to carry out specialized tasks. Therefore the authorities are tied with individual levels of mentioned hierarchies. In the professional forces the formal authority is not enough. Professional warrior is an expert that can't be managed in ways the soldiers used to be, in the former conscript army. It is necessary for the commander to exercise natural authority, based upon knowledge, skills, all-round proficiency. Formal aspects of his authority are only secondary.