SURVIVAL COURSE - In the participants' own words...

Comments 2000-2004

Andrej Čírtek, Spokesman for the Defence Minister, 2004

"During a ten-day period, we participated in a highly intensive variety of activities that we would not have otherwise had the opportunity to taste in our whole lives. All those activities involved work in crisis areas and, for sure, course participants have increased their chances of keeping their skins, should they find themselves in a crisis area. It is likely that everyone in the course got into a situation, where he forced himself to do things, that weren't very pleasant."

 

Pavel Šuba, TV Prima Reporter, 2003

"It was O. K. Except, for several weeks after the course, my thoughts before going to bed wandered to whether or not I should keep my shoes on, just in case a terrorist broke into my apartment. But no kidding, I learned that my physical and mental bedrock is far deeper than I have ever thought. The course, for sure, bolstered my mind in case I'm deployed, for example, with the Czech army to crisis regions. But chiefly, the course reinforced my desire to not encounter real-life situations similar to those I experienced in the course."

 

Martin Fryč, Czech Red Cross, 2002

"It was a perfectly prepared course, within the scope of capabilities and resources available. I guess it's the best thing in this country of its type, and I'm extremely glad to have been chosen to participate."

 

Joža Ftorek, Czech TV reporter, 2001

"If they had not pulled me through the mud, I would have enjoyed it (laugh). It was perfect. It's the kind of training that has helped me to prepare myself, should I meet such situations in the future. I'll know what to expect then. I think I experienced how unpleasant it could be. And, even if it was just a taste of that stuff, it was enough."

 

Boris Keka, Computer Press, 2000

"It gave me, for sure, a lot of new experiences available no where else, at least one new friend, and a bit of knowledge about what I have inside me. Thanks to practical demonstrations of places where booby traps might be hidden (and because I stepped on one of them), I know now what the saying, 'to behave as an elephant in a pottery shop' means. And, anytime I see new rotations of soldiers leave for a foreign mission, I recall what 'skipping' in a heavy lifevest with a helmet is. It's not cool, believe me. But I'm glad I had the chance to participate. I wish a lot of positive experiences and fun to all of those who'll visit Vykov after me."

 

 

Posted: March 28, 2006