After three years of dedicated service, Brigadier General Petr Svoboda, Czech Army, the NATO Joint Force Training Centre’s Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, departs the Centre. He hands over his responsibilities to Brigadier General Zoltan Barany of Hungarian Army. Major General Bogdan Rycerski, JFTC Commander, led the change of post ceremony, which was attended by the entire JFTC community and Centre’s close partners and friends.
“It is difficult to list all Brigadier General Svoboda’s accomplishments during his fruitful career at the JFTC, for which I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation,” said Major General Bogdan Rycerski. The General also underlined that JFTC has highly benefited from General Svoboda’s vast knowledge, experience and well-founded expertise. “General Svoboda’s work has always been very visible and very successful. Always engaged, always enthusiastic, always professional. And above all, consistent and brave to finalise and turn into success the most difficult tasks.” The Commander also recognised the close relations General Svoboda maintained with the local and regional authorities that were for the benefit of both JFTC and the local community.
Turning directly to General Svoboda and his wife Michaela, General Rycerski added: “Petr, I would like to thank you very much not only for your outstanding merits but also for the support which I received from you during my first year here. Dear Michaela, thank you for your active role in JFTC community and for the daily effort in supporting your demanding husband.”
Addressing the incoming Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Zoltan Barany, the Commander said: “Zoltan, your predecessor is leaving quite a significant footprint. But as I have got to know you in the last weeks, I have no concerns whatsoever. I am convinced that the staff will support you in the same way as they supported your predecessor. I wish you all the best, fortune and success with the tasks ahead of us.”
Brigadier General Petr Svoboda’s Farewell
“Hua, it was a journey!” – shouted Brigadier General Petr Svoboda addressing the JFTC staff in his farewell speech. He thanked the entire JFTC community for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the mission. General Svoboda also added: “JFTC is not just an institution — it is a community. And what makes it exceptional is not only what we do, but how we do it: together, across nations, backgrounds, and experiences, united by a shared purpose.”
The outgoing Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff encouraged the JFTC staff to keep pushing forward, to embrace innovation, support one another, and never lose sight of the bigger picture their work contributes to. “What you do here truly matters. (…) It has been an honor to serve alongside you. I leave proud, inspired, and confident that the future of JFTC is bright.”
The general also thanked local and regional authorities as well as local community for the continuous excellent cooperation. “It was my real pleasure to cooperate with the Mayor of Bydgoszcz and his team, with the Voivode and Marshal of Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, with all Honorary Consuls but especially with Dariusz and Marek, with the Czech Ambassador, with the Polish Inspectorate, local Police, Bydgoszcz Airport, local Military Police, firefighters, Artillery Club in Torun, the Kazimierz Wielki University, and last but not least with all freethinking people in Bydgoszcz to bring friendly outcome of our international flavor to local community.”
General Svoboda’s outstanding service has been recognised by Polish authorities. For his exceptional merits in supporting peace operations of the Polish Armed Forces, and for his contribution to the development of the defence capabilities of the Republic of Poland, he received the Polish Army Medal in Gold awarded by Mr Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
The outgoing Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff has also been presented with the Military Police Centre of Excellence’s Honorary Badge. His strong relations with the local and regional community were reflected in the addresses by Mr Rafał Bruski, the Mayor of Bydgoszcz and Mr Piotr Hemmerling, the 1st Deputy Voivode of Kujawsko-Pomorskie region, who attended the ceremony.
Brigadier General Zoltan Barany Begins His Tour of Duty
“It is an honor to take over this assignment at this prestigious NATO organisation. NATO JFTC just turned 20 and has grown a very strong base during the years. So it is a great privilege and also a great responsibility to be the next DCOM COS,” said the incoming JFTC Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff. General Barany also highlighted that this position is one of very few Hungarian flag posts in NATO, and therefore a “national pride”.
The incoming Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff thanked General Svoboda and the entire JFTC staff for all knowledge and information shared with him during the hand over/take over period. He also wished his predecessor success in his new assignment.
Referring to his plans for the upcoming years, General Barany expressed his hope for continuation of excellent cooperation with JFTC partners, to include local and international authorities. He also added: “I will measure success by achieving goals set by our Commander. (…) Ready to serve, ready to cooperate, ready to lead.”
Brigadier General Zoltan Barany arrived at the NATO Joint Force Training Centre from the Hungarian Defence Forces Force Modernisation and Transformation Command, which he commanded. The general has broad international experience – he served in NATO units and was deployed to several NATO and multinational missions. He also completed numerous national and international courses and assignments.
You will find more about General Barany’s background here.
