72nd Mechanized Battalion

The 72nd Mechanized Battalion (Czech: 72. mechanizovaný prapor) is a mechanized infantry unit of the Army of the Czech Republic, garrisoned in Přáslavice and subordinate to the 7th Mechanized Brigade. It is a state military formation rather than a commercial enterprise, but it maintains a public-facing institutional identity, an official website, and a named honorific — "generála Josefa Buršíka" (of General Josef Buršík) — used in its full official designation. Its motto, "Hrdinsky bojovat, svobodně žít!" (Heroically fight, freely live!), appears on its official homepage. The battalion traces its lineage to 1998, when it was established as the 74th Mechanized Battalion through the reorganization of the 74th Training Center. In 2000 it was renumbered as the 72nd Mechanized Battalion. Over the following two decades it became a regular contributor to Czech Army expeditionary operations, most notably in Afghanistan, where its soldiers formed the core of the 4th Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) in Wardak province from April to November 2012, and supplied personnel to successive guard rotations at Bagram Airfield between 2013 and 2016. Beyond its professional cadre, the battalion hosts an Active Reserve component that is an organic part of the unit. The reserve element began as a mechanized platoon in 2007, was integrated into the 3rd Mechanized Company as its 4th Mechanized Platoon on 1 January 2015, and was expanded into a mechanized company in the second half of 2016. From 1 January 2020 the Active Reserve was further broadened to include a mechanized company, a battalion aid-station reserve, and a battalion staff reserve. Reserve soldiers are civilians who voluntarily assume military obligations and train several times a year so they can reinforce the professional army when required. The battalion's equipment reflects its role as a mechanized formation: CZ 805 BREN A1 assault rifles, FN MINIMI light machine guns, CZ 75 Phantom pistols, RPG-7 anti-tank weapons, BVP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, Toyota Hilux utility vehicles, and Tatra 810 trucks. Its public communications include news items on command handovers, voluntary military exercises for secondary-school students (DVC 2025), and field training events such as HEAVY RECCE 2025. As a unit of the Czech state, it is not traded on any stock exchange and is funded through the national defense budget.

The 72nd Mechanized Battalion was established in 1998 as the 74th Mechanized Battalion, created through the reorganization of the 74th Training Center. In 2000 it was renumbered as the 72nd Mechanized Battalion. It is garrisoned in Přáslavice and falls under the 7th Mechanized Brigade of the Army of the Czech Republic. During the 2010s the battalion contributed regularly to Czech Army missions in Afghanistan. Soldiers from the unit formed the core of the 4th Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT), which operated in Wardak province from April to November 2012. Seventeen soldiers were part of the 1st Guard Company at Bagram Airfield (BAF), serving in Afghanistan from October 2013 to April 2014. The 3rd Guard Company at BAF (October 2014 to April 2015) was composed mainly of men from the 72nd Battalion, and the unit also took part in the 5th Guard Company at BAF (October 2015 to April 2016). The battalion's Active Reserve component has its own distinct history. The mechanized platoon of the Active Reserve at the 72nd Mechanized Battalion Přáslavice was formed in 2007; a mechanized company of the Active Reserve had originally been planned for Přáslavice as early as 2005 (then under the 163rd Tank Battalion), but the platoon-sized implementation only took place two years later. Lieutenant Mgr. Ivo Heinz served as platoon commander from the beginning. On 1 January 2015 the platoon was incorporated into the organic structure of the 3rd Mechanized Company of the 72nd Battalion as its 4th Mechanized Platoon, and in that form it trained alongside its professional colleagues throughout the training year. In the second half of 2016 the platoon was expanded into a mechanized company of the Active Reserve of the 72nd Mechanized Battalion Přáslavice. The newly formed mechanized company of the Active Reserve consists of two mechanized platoons, a mortar platoon, and a support platoon. From 1 July 2016 to 1 April 2020 the company was commanded by Captain Mgr. Ivo Heinz, then by First Lieutenant Bc. Jan Malý, and from 1 November 2020 by First Lieutenant Ing. Radka Januš Zajícová. From 1 January 2020 the Active Reserve of the 72nd Mechanized Battalion was expanded and now consists of a mechanized company of the Active Reserve, a reserve of the battalion aid station, and a reserve of the battalion staff. The entire Active Reserve of the 72nd Mechanized Battalion is commanded by the deputy commander of the battalion, Major Mgr. Ivo Heinz. The Active Reserve trains regularly several times a year. In 2021 two soldiers from the mechanized company of the Active Reserve were assigned to a foreign mission — NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Latvia. The battalion's public profile includes recurring news items on its official website, such as the handover of the commander's function on 25 September 2025, the DVC 2025 voluntary military exercise for secondary-school students (with a solemn military oath on 1 August 2025), and the HEAVY RECCE 2025 field training event. Its full official designation includes the honorific "generála Josefa Buršíka" (of General Josef Buršík), and its motto is "Hrdinsky bojovat, svobodně žít!" (Heroically fight, freely live!).

• 2025

  Command handover of the 72nd Mechanized Battalion Přáslavice took place on 25 September.

• 2021

  Two soldiers from the Active Reserve mechanized company were assigned to NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Latvia.

• 2020

  From 1 January the Active Reserve was expanded to include a mechanized company, battalion aid-station reserve, and battalion staff reserve.

• 2016

  In the second half of the year the Active Reserve platoon was expanded into a mechanized company.

• 2015

  On 1 January the Active Reserve platoon was incorporated into the 3rd Mechanized Company as its 4th Mechanized Platoon.

• 2015

  The unit took part in the 5th Guard Company at Bagram Airfield (October 2015 to April 2016).

• 2014

  The 3rd Guard Company at Bagram Airfield (October 2014 to April 2015) was composed mainly of men from the 72nd Battalion.

• 2013

  17 soldiers served in the 1st Guard Company at Bagram Airfield from October 2013 to April 2014.

• 2012

  Soldiers formed the core of the 4th OMLT in Wardak province, Afghanistan, from April to November.

• 2007

  Mechanized platoon of the Active Reserve formed at the 72nd Mechanized Battalion Přáslavice.

• 2000

  Renumbered as the 72nd Mechanized Battalion.

• 1998

  Established as the 74th Mechanized Battalion through reorganization of the 74th Training Center.

A state military unit of the Czech Army's 7th Mechanized Brigade, combining a professional mechanized infantry cadre with an organic Active Reserve component.

• Mechanized infantry operations

  Core function of the battalion as a mechanized infantry unit of the Czech Army.

• Active Reserve training

  Training of civilian volunteers who assume military obligations and train several times a year.

• Voluntary military exercise for secondary-school students (DVC)

  Annual program allowing secondary-school students to experience military training during summer holidays.

• International expeditionary deployments

  Participation in NATO and Czech Army missions abroad, including Afghanistan and Latvia.

1. 1Úvodní stránka | 72. mechanizovaný prapor72mpr.mo.gov.cz
2. 272nd Mechanized Battalion - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 372. mechanizovaný prapor - Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org