102nd Reconnaissance Battalion of General Karel Palecek

The 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion of General Karel Palecek (102. průzkumný prapor generála Karla Palečka) is a reconnaissance battalion in the Czech Army based in Prostejov. It falls under the command of the 53rd Regiment of Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare.

Mission and training
The 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion is the only reconnaissance battalion in the Czech Army and is capable of conducting long-range ground reconnaissance, aerial reconnaissance, and Human Intelligence (HUMINT), providing immediate terrain-, force- and civil-oriented reconnaissance of the battlefield environment, and observing and eliminating organized resistance. It forms the basis of an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) taskforce unit.

Organization
The 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion currently consists of:
 * Headquarters
 * Long-range Reconnaissance Company – members are trained to:
 * infiltrate the objective area by parachute (HALO jump, HAHO), via helicopter, or fixed-wing aircraft, or by static line (Fast-ropes) via helicopter, conduct reconnaissance of an area ranging from 25 to 50 km2 within 24 hours, remain undetected in the vicinity of the objective area up to 15 days with re-supply as far as 100 km from the Command Post, perform reconnaissance operations employing a full range of night observation devices, infrared detection devices, unattended early warning sensors, and photographic equipment, collect combat information to satisfy priority information requirements and mission-essential elements of information, report information by use of long-range, secure, burst-transmission communications equipment, perform highly selective, limited attacks or ambushes when so tasked.
 * 1st Reconnaissance Company – members are trained to:
 * infiltrate the objective area by parachute via helicopter, or fixed-wing aircraft, conduct reconnaissance of area ranging from 25 to 50 km2 within 24 hours, remain undetected in the vicinity of the objective area up to 3 days without re-supply as far as 25 km from the commanding radio station.
 * Sub-unit is equipped with LRD-130 Kajman.
 * 2nd Reconnaissance Company – members are trained to:
 * infiltrate the objective area by parachute via helicopter, or fixed-wing aircraft, conduct reconnaissance of area ranging from 25 to 50 km2 within 24 hours, remain undetected in the vicinity of the objective area up to 3 days without re-supply as far as 25 km from the commanding radio station.
 * Sub-unit is equipped with a light armored vehicle LOV IVECO.
 * HUMINT Company – members are trained to:
 * collect information based on observation, interrogation and conversation with human sources.
 * UAV Reconnaissance Company – members are trained to:
 * provide short-range (mini UAV RQ-11 Raven) and long-range aerial reconnaissance (ScanEagle), by day and night.
 * Logistic Company – members are trained to:
 * provide direct logistic support in the areas of transportation, intermediate level supply, maintenance and repairs.
 * Active Reserve Platoon
 * The Active Reserve Reconnaissance Platoon has been part of the unit since 2007. It is part of the 2nd Reconnaissance Company and comprises of four reconnaissance sections. The Active Reserve is generally used for strengthening the Armed Forces active force under a state of emergency, state of war, and when non-military crisis situations occur in order to protect the lives and property of people in the aftermath of natural disasters. Members of the Active Reserve Reconnaissance Platoon are trained to gain and strengthen their skills in the field of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The aim is to be deployable together with the 2nd Reconnaissance Company. The platoon is a non-parachute force element.

Formation
The battalion's history dates back to 2003. Four different reconnaissance battalions (2nd Reconnaissance Battalion from Strasice, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion from Bechyne, 7th Reconnaissance Battalion from Kromeriz and 11th Reconnaissance Battalion from Prostejov) were merged together to form the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion, which was activated on December 1 in Prostejov as a part of Joint Forces Command to become the only reconnaissance battalion in the Czech Army. Since 2011 the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion has come under the command of the 53rd Regiment of Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare.

Military operations and deployments
Former Yugoslavia
 * KFOR (from 2003–10)
 * EUFOR (2006)

Afghanistan
 * ISAF Feyzabad (2005–07)
 * ISAF Logar (2008–13)
 * ISAF Bagram (from 2014)

Iraq
 * MNF-I Shaibah (2004–05)

Mali
 * EUTM Mali (2015)

International exercises

 * ERNA RIAD (Estonia 2007)
 * SFIR (Romania 2011–2015)
 * GROUND PEPPER (Slovakia 2014)
 * KHAAN QUEST (Mongolia 2014, 2015)
 * ALLIED SPIRIT (Germany 2015)

Reconnaissance Patrol Competition
The Reconnaissance Patrol Competition is a national military patrolling exercise that makes its participating units cover more than 100 kilometers in three days, day and night, while performing numerous types of military tasks. It is a test of leadership, self-discipline, courage, physical endurance, determination and knowledge of wide range of reconnaissance skills.

The history of this event which is organized uniquely by the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion reaches back to 2006. The initial idea was to compare the level of skills and readiness of reconnaissance troops within the battalion but it was the year later when the competition was open for other units of the Czech Army. This event usually takes place at the end of August. Due to its demanding nature, severe condition and physical challenge only two thirds of contestants usually finish this competition.

Charity events
Charity events have been organized annually by the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion since 2009 in order to raise money for children in need. Handing over of the charity voucher is usually connected with sport activities and social events organized for service members, their families and guests.

Visitors' and Presentation Day
Visitors' and Presentation Day of the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion has been annually organized for children from Prostejov as well as for service members and their families. The program usually includes a presentation of military vehicles, weapons and equipment. Visitors can also watch a training display of parachute jumps, a demonstration of the MUSADO military combat system, or a simulated ambush. This event takes place in June.

Notable members

 * ISAF killed in action in Afghanistan
 * WO1 in memoriam Radim Vaculik (April 8, 1979 to April 30, 2008, Pol-e´Alam, Lógar)


 * Bronze Star Medal recipients
 * Staff Sergeant Michal Novotný received Bronze Star Medal in November 2011 in Afghanistan for saving life of an American soldier who lost both legs and a hand.

Equipment

 * Assault rifle CZ-805 BREN A2
 * Pistol CZ-75 SP-01 Phantom
 * Parachute OVP 80.08
 * Ram-air parachute
 * Mini UAV RQ-11 Raven
 * UAV ScanEagle


 * Off-road vehicle UAZ-469
 * Four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle Land Rover Defender 90/110
 * Four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle Land Rover Defender 130 KAJMAN
 * Light armored tactical vehicle LOV IVECO
 * Medium truck Tatra 810
 * Military troop and cargo carrier Tatra 815

Commanders

 * December 1, 2003 to September 30, 2008 – LTC Jindřich STARÝ
 * October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010 – LTC Pavel ANDRÁŠKO
 * January 1, 2011 to present – LTC René SABELA

Insignias
The 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion Patch has a circular shape depicting several objects which have symbolic meaning relating closely to the battalion, its sub-units or history. A white parachute represents the airborne-reconnaissance units, a pair of yellow wings represents the ability to conduct an aerial reconnaissance, a pair of yellow bolts used to represent Electronic Warfare unit which used to be a part of the 11th Reconnaissance Battalion, and nowadays it represents the ability to pass the information quickly from the battlefield and finally the assault knife which is a symbol of a long-range reconnaissance unit. The dark green color of the background of the patch represents the color of reconnaissance units in general as well as the color of scout's berets, while the dark red edge of the circle represents the color of paratrooper forces and their berets. The battalion motto is Spem retine – spes una hominem nec morte relinquit (Cato) – ("Keep hold of hope; hope alone does not desert a person even in death").

Combat Flag and Commemorative Ribbons
The 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion gained its Combat Flag on the May 5, 2005 on the occasion of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Commemorative Ribbons awarded to the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion and designed to be displayed together with the Combat Flag:
 * Commemorative Ribbon of Československé obce legionářské awarded on April 27, 2005
 * Honorary Commemorative Ribbon of the town of Prostejov awarded on September 27, 2005
 * Ribbon carrying the honorary name of the patron of the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion of "generála Karla Palečka" awarded on May 8, 2006
 * Commemorative Ribbon of JAGELLO 2000 Association awarded on September 20, 2008

Honorary name and patron
Honorary name was awarded to 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion in 2006 and since then the full name of the battalion has been the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion of General Karel Palecek. General Karel Palecek, the patron of the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion, was a Czech legionary, active military member during World War I and World War II, and the founder of the first Czechoslovak parachute units.