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Summary for: From Crete to Brussels: Czech soldiers honored for service abroadEighty-one Czech soldiers have been decorated for service at NATO and European Union posts abroad, where their work contributed to international defense planning and the security of Czechia and its allies.
The group, which included five women, received the Czech defense minister’s Medal for Service Abroad during a ceremony at the Army House in Prague on Wednesday.
The soldiers served between 2023 and 2026 in 18 cities across Europe and the United States. Their assignments took them to countries including Belgium, Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Turkey and Greece.
Service during a changing security climate
General Petr Čepelka, who oversees Czech military personnel serving in foreign posts, thanked the returning soldiers for representing the country and its armed forces.
Their assignments coincided with major changes in Europe’s security environment, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, growing tensions elsewhere in the world and NATO’s increased emphasis on collective defense.
“This was not a time that tolerated any passive approach,” Čepelka told the soldiers. “You had to make decisions, find solutions and cooperate with colleagues from abroad.”
The recipients helped develop alliance and defense plans and supported the work of international military institutions. Čepelka said those efforts had a direct effect on the security of Czechia and its allies.
Colonel Lukáš Jelínek of the Czech General Staff said the international security situation had deteriorated significantly between 2023 and 2026. The soldiers faced demanding assignments but also gained experience they can now apply after returning to positions within the Czech military.
Three years training personnel in Crete
Among those decorated was Lieutenant Colonel Josef Spurný, who spent three years at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center on the Greek island of Crete.
Spurný served as director of a course focusing on protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. The specialization is becoming increasingly relevant as NATO adapts its planning and training to emerging threats.
“For me, this award is definitely a reminder of what we achieved and what we didn’t, but also a memory of those experiences, because the last three years were amazing,” Spurný said after the ceremony.
Other recipients worked in military and institutional centers in locations including Brussels, Lithuania, Germany, Turkey and the United States.
Although these were overseas postings rather than necessarily combat deployments, the military emphasized their importance to Czech defense. Officers stationed inside NATO and EU structures help shape plans, coordinate allied responses and ensure Czech priorities are represented in multinational decision-making.
Wednesday’s ceremony opened with the presentation of the Czech national flag and a military march. A military band accompanied the medal presentation, which concluded with the Czech national anthem.
