For more than 1,500 high school students, this year’s Voluntary Military Training Program culminated in a ceremonial military oath. The latest edition of the Czech Army’s Voluntary Military Training Program offered young people a unique opportunity to experience military life, test their physical and mental limits, and acquire basic military skills. Many of them admit that this experience has significantly influenced their view of the military and their future career paths.

Video: Voluntary Military Training: Young People Surprised the Instructors / CZ DEFENCE

This year’s Voluntary Military Exercise (DVC) once again took place at several units of the Czech Army stationed in military training areas and garrisons throughout the country. The CZ DEFENCE editorial team visited the training session at the Libavá military training area, where the exercise was organized by the 532nd Electronic Warfare Battalion. Here, 62 cadets completed a month-long training program, culminating in preparations for their ceremonial military oath.

Although all participants across the country follow the same training program, individual units also introduce the cadets to their own areas of expertise. In the case of the 53rd Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Regiment, the students had the opportunity to learn about the activities of reconnaissance units, electronic warfare, modern drones, and specialized sensors. Practical demonstrations and expert lectures gave them insight into the tasks these units perform during current military operations.

The participants themselves came as a big surprise to the instructors. The frequently discussed concerns that the current generation of young people lacks sufficient physical and mental resilience were not borne out by the instructors’ experience. On the contrary, the instructors appreciated the participants’ willingness to learn new things, their discipline, and their ability to handle a demanding program. Although the four-week course is shorter than a standard basic training course, the intensity of the training is very high, and during the course, students typically go through activities that soldiers commonly encounter.

Another motivating factor was the financial reward, which amounts to nearly 40,000 crowns upon successful completion of the training. The students themselves, however, unanimously said that money was not the main reason for their participation. They much more frequently mentioned a desire to push their own limits, gain new experiences, or find out whether military service is a path they would like to pursue in the future.

“I wanted to test my limits and push myself both mentally and physically,” says one of the participants. Other students admit that they were motivated to participate by long-standing thoughts about joining the military or a desire to try something completely different from their everyday lives. Athletes, on the other hand, appreciated the opportunity to push their own performance limits and see how they would handle physical and mental stress outside of a sports environment.

Although the training was certainly not easy, most participants viewed its difficulty in a positive light. They also agreed that the instructors played a significant role, as they were able to create a professional yet supportive environment. Working as a team was no less important. It was precisely the obstacles they overcame together and the experiences they shared that helped forge strong bonds among the participants, even though minor conflicts occasionally arose as fatigue set in.

Voluntary military training is not primarily designed as a recruitment activity. Its main goal is to introduce young people to the workings of the Czech Armed Forces, familiarize them with the military environment, and strengthen their commitment to national defense. Nevertheless, year after year, it is confirmed that it is precisely this personal experience that has motivated many participants to join the military or the active reserve. At the same time, interest in the exercises themselves is growing every year, which indicates that this approach to introducing the younger generation to the military is gaining an increasingly positive response.

Upon successfully completing the training and taking the military oath, students become reserve soldiers. If they decide to enlist in the Czech Army within the next two years, they are exempt from taking the basic training course. For many of them, voluntary military training thus becomes not only a personal challenge but also the first step on the path to a future military career.