From August 23 to 28, Viennese militia soldiers are training at the Bruckneudorf military training area on the border between Lower Austria and Burgenland. Around 450 soldiers have come to the “Sommergewitter21” military exercise.
The exercise began with a Covid test in accordance with the army’s requirements. After a short administrative stop at the Maria Theresien barracks in Vienna, the battalion took buses to the Bruckneudorf training area. Around 100 soldiers from the battalion had already completed their preparations in Bruckneudorf the previous week so that training could begin as soon as possible. Colonel Bernhard Schulyok is the commander of the Jäger Battalion Vienna 2 “Maria Theresia” and is convinced: “My soldiers have solid basic training. We use exercises like this one to refresh our knowledge and deepen it as much as possible.” Schulyok, himself a professional officer, appreciates the commitment. “Militia soldiers are citizens in uniform. Most of them work full-time or are in training and still find time for their demanding work. That deserves recognition.” A special feature of the Austrian militia system is its voluntary nature: the soldiers in the battalion have voluntarily undertaken to complete exercise days. According to Schulyok, this is why internal cohesion is particularly high.
The Jägerbataillon Wien 2 “Maria Theresia” is one of ten units of the Austrian Armed Forces that are largely made up of militia soldiers – hundreds of soldiers from all parts of Austria. The militia is a mainstay of national military defense; militia members sometimes even make up the majority of soldiers in the armed forces’ assistance and foreign missions.
