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Happy expressions of children and visitors are the reward // Humans of NATO Days

For seven years he has been involved in the organization of the NATO Days in Ostrava & Czech Air Force Days. He is the main coordinator of the activities of the Army of the Czech Republic at the event, and it would be very difficult for the entire event to take place without his contribution. How did he like last year's NATO Days, what exactly does he do at the event and how long does it take to prepare the event? Warrant Officer Milan Procházka from the planning department of the Air Force Command will answer all of these questions.

How do you evaluate the current year of NATO Days?
It was very successful. I would say that the event is excellently prepared and the well-established and long-term cooperation between the Army of the Czech Republic and the organizer of the event - the Jagello 2000 association - has a great influence on it. We also had excellent weather, which is always a big plus.

What do NATO Days mean to you?
Not only for me, but I believe that for all participants and visitors as well, they mean not only a parade of our and foreign military equipment, but also a confirmation that the finances that are spent on security and the army are used effectively. Thanks to this event, people have the opportunity to see for themselves what equipment the individual units are equipped with and how their members are trained. And I think people leave NATO Days feeling that we do what we do well and professionally.

What exactly is your job in NATO Days?
The main organizer of NATO Days is the Jagello 2000 association, but the largest co-organizer is the Army of the Czech Republic. I have a coordinating role here, where I process various regulations, invitations, and prepare meetings. Colleagues also sometimes jokingly call me the switchboard, because I conduct a large number of collaborative phone calls with representatives of all participating departments of the Ministry of Defence. I practically coordinate and arrange it so that everything from our side is properly prepared. I myself sometimes say that I am the left hand of the commander of the event, i.e. the Chief of the Organizational Staff. The right-hand man is the Flight Director.

Preparations for NATO Days are an ongoing process in the background throughout the year, from the moment when one edition ends. When does it start for you?
It's a continuous process for me too. After the event, there is always an evaluation, and after that the preparation phase for the upcoming year begins again. For me, the preparatory phase begins with the processing of the order of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic and the order of the Commander of the Air Force of the Army of the Czech Republic. NATO Days in Ostrava & Czech Air Force Days are of great importance to the Army of the Czech Republic and are therefore also one of the Ministry of Defence's public events with the highest priority. For this reason, a large amount of energy and resources are spent on it, which requires a lot of time for preparation and coordination.

Do you see any change in the event in the seven years that you have been participating in its organization?
From my point of view, we try to improve after each year. That's why we make it a point to evaluate after the entire event, in order to identify not only what we lack, but also what the visitors of the event lack, and we try to fix it in the next year. Also, over the many years we have gotten to know some regular participants and organizers, across all security forces, even personally, which contributes to often faster and more pleasant communication.