Rakovník is a town in the Central Bohemian Region with a long military tradition, home to the Pluk podpory nasaditelných sil of the Czech army.
Rakovník is a town in the Central Bohemian Region that has long been tied to the army. It is the seat of the Pluk podpory nasaditelných sil (Deployable Forces Support Regiment), a specialised logistics unit of the Czech army.[1][2][3]
Military tradition
The first military unit, the 301st Artillery Regiment, was stationed in Rakovník in 1931 and remained there until 1939. During the Protectorate, the 2nd battalion of the then Government Army was stationed there. After the war the town housed artillery units, in the 1960s among others the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and, after the army was reorganised at the end of that decade, the 2nd Tank Regiment, which was disbanded in 1994. There were also stores of aviation materiel and ammunition. After 1994 the units were reorganised several times, focused on civil protection, and the soldiers helped, among other things, after floods.[1][3]
Deployable Forces Support Regiment
The Deployable Forces Support Battalion was formed in Rakovník on 1 January 2020, reached full operational capability on 1 January 2025 and was converted into a regiment on 1 October 2026. A ceremonial parade for this change took place on 6 October 2026 on Husovo náměstí in the presence of the Minister of Defence Jaromír Zůna. The regiment now has about 500 members and is to reach about 1,200.[1][2][3] According to the minister, the Rakovník garrison is becoming one of the main logistics centres of the Czech army.[1][3]
Relationship between the town and the army
The mayor of Rakovník, Luděk Štíbr, said that for almost a hundred years the army has been an important part of the town. According to him, the garrison commander is a member of the town's security council, the garrison brings jobs and purchasing power, and in natural or other disasters the town can use its equipment, for example cranes, excavators and lorries.[3]
Chronology
- — In Rakovník in the Central Bohemian Region a ceremonial parade was held for the founding of the Pluk podpory nasaditelných sil, which replaced the previous battalion on 1 October and is to have 1,200 soldiers. → ČTK / České noviny Ekonomický deník