COE Director
COL (GS) David MARTÍNEK (from Feb 2020)
Colonel David Martínek is the Director of the JCBRN Defence Centre of Excellence, Vyškov, The Czech Republic.
The Director is a principal advisor to SACT for transformation and SACEUR for operations in the field of CBRN Defence. In this capacity, he promotes transformation in the field of the CBRN Defence in support of ACT, and within an approved Program of Work (POW), supports Sponsoring Nations (SN), ACO and other international institutions/organizations in their CBRN Defence-related efforts.
Colonel David Martínek had joint the Czech army in 1993 after graduating from the Military High School as a Sergeant First Class. He was promoted to lieutenant after graduating from Military university in 1997.
Before his arrival to JCBRN Defence COE, he was CBRN Defence Plans and Policy Staff Officer at SHAPE, Mons (BEL).
EDUCATION1989-1993 – Military High school, Chemistry, Žilina (SVK)
1994-1997 – Bachelor of Chemistry, Bachelor, Military University, (CZE)
1998-2001 – Master of Chemistry, Military University, Vyškov (CZE)
2005 – Senior Officers Course, Military University, Brno (CZE)
2018-2019 – General Staff Course, Military University, Brno (CZE)
August 2017 – January 2020 – Director of the Training, exercise and education Department, JCBRN Defence COE, Vyškov (CZE)
August 2017 – May 2020 – Department Head for NATO WMD/CBRN Defence Education and Training Discipline and a chairman of the Training and Exercise Panel of the Joint CBRN Defence Capability Development Group.
August 2014 - July 2017 – CBRN Defence Policy Staff Officer, SHAPE, Mons (BEL)
January 2012 - June 2014 – CBRN Senior Officer, JCBRN Defence COE, Vyškov (CZE)
January 2011 - December 2011 – CBRN senior officer, Joint Force Command, Olomouc (CZE)
April 2009 - December 2010 – Chief of Warning and Reporting Cell, Joint Force Command, Olomouc (CZE)
July 2003 - March 2009 – Senior Officer Specialist of the Warning and Reporting cell, Joint Force Command, Olomouc (CZE)
October 2001 - June 2003 – Senior Officer of the 1st Warning and Reporting Centre, Olomouc (CZE)
July 2007 - September 2001 – CBRN Staff Officer 1st CSS battalion, Olomouc (CZE)
April 1994 - September 1994 – DECON Squad leader 2nd CCS battalion, Olomouc (CZE)
August 1993 - April 1994 – Chief of Chemical Repair Team, Pardubice, (CZE)
2008 – CZE CBRN TF Commander, OPS ISAF Afghanistan
2011 – CBRN Senior Officer, EUFOR HQ EU OPS ALTHEA Bosnia and Herzegovina
Service medal of the Armed Forces of the Czech Army - 1st Class
Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic for service abroad - 3rd Class
Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic for service abroad - Bosna and Hercegovina
Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic for service abroad - Afghanistan
Honorary Badge of the Army of the Czech Republic for Merits - 3rd Class
Non-Article 5 NATO Medal
EU Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal
2 Children – a daughter Hana (19), a son David (13)
Deputy Director
Colonel Wolfgang Karl-Heinz Reich started his career in 1982 as an Officer Cadet with the CBRN Defence Battalion 900 in Zweibrücken. In 1987 he became a Platoon Leader in the Bundeswehr Mountain CBRN Defence Company after receiving his diploma in Economics from the Bundeswehr University in Munich, Germany. In 1989, he became the Head of the S2 Section of the CBRN Defence Battalion 210 in Sonthofen and maintained his role for the next two years.
Between the period of 1991 and 2001, he worked as a Director for two different courses (Enhanced CBRN Defence Course and CBRN Defence officer Cadet Course) at the Bundeswehr CBRN Protection and Environmental School, as well as Company Commander of the Bundeswehr CBRN Defence Battalion 705 (Bad Düben) and CBRN Defence Battalion 750 (Bruchsal), and the KFOR Engineer Battalion in Kosovo. Followed by an appointment as Armament Staff Officer with the Bundeswehr Logistic Command in Sankt Augustin and then as a Deputy Battalion Commander of the CBRN Defence Battallion 7 and JCBRN Defence Task Force NRF 4 and NRF 7 in Höxter.
Afterwards, he gained extensive international experience as a Subject Matter Expert in CBRN Defence and WMD at the NATO Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk (ACT), Virginia, USA.
Between 2011 and 2015, amongst others, he worked as the Branch Head for the CBRN Defence and Protection Department of the German Armed Forces Support Command, and Branch Head for Armament of CBRN Defence Material at the Bundeswehr CBRN Defence Command.
In 2015, Colonel Reich was appointed to serve as the Head of the Capability Development Division of the Bundeswehr CBRN Defence Command in Bruchsal.
Since October 2018 he is the Deputy Director and German Senior National Representative of the JCBRN Defence Center of Excellence in Vyškov, Czech Republic.
Chief of Staff
COL. WILLIAM JOSEPH EPOLITO (United States of America, Army), (from July 2019)
COL William J. Epolito received his commission in the Chemical Corps and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering; Masters in Environmental Engineering; Masters in Military Operational Art and Science; and Professional Engineering License. He also taught in Physical Geography, Principles and Applications of Environmental Chemistry, and Environmental Biological Systems the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.
He initially entered the Army in the NY Army National Guard as an Indirect Fire Infantryman (11C) in 1989 before being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Chemical Corps in 1994. He has served as a Battalion, Brigade, Division, Army Level and Joint CBRN Officer. He has also served as a Division and Army Level Protection Officer both in a Garrison and Deployed (Operation Iraqi Freedom) environment; and as a Battalion S4, Company XO, Battalion S3, Department XO, and Brigade Deputy Commander. He has also served as the Company XO for a unique company that stored, maintained and transported chemical munitions until they were destroyed on Johnston Island; and he was the Operations Officer at the Chemical Defense Training Facility where CBRN Soldiers received nerve agent training to gain confidence in their CBRN gear and training.
He is married and has 2 daughters.
Command Sergeant Major
SWO Kamil Šesták, Czech Air Force (from April 2021)
Senior Warrant Officer Kamil Šesták is Senior Enlisted Leader of the NATO Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Centre of Excellence (JCBRN Defence COE) in Vyškov, Czech Republic attached to his prime responsibilities of having been as an Advisor of the COE Director in all matters related to the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) to fulfil needs of NCOs Creeds.
Senior Warrant Officer Kamil Šesták had joint the Czech Armed Forces in 1994 after graduating from the Secondary Military School as a Sergeant First Class. During his career he was promoted several times to finally reach todays second highest NCO rank in Czech Armed Forces.
Before his arrival to JCBRN Defence COE, he was Senior Staff Specialist of the Czech Military representative Office at NATO HQ, Brussels (BEL).
EDUCATION
| 1990-1994 | Secondary Military School, Air Defence, Liptovský Mikuláš (SVK) |
| 1999 | STANAG 6001 – Level II (English Language Course) |
| 2000 | STANAG 6001 – Level III (English Language Course) |
| 2000 | Pre-Deployment Course in NATO Organizations (CONAMS), Vyškov, (CZE) |
| 2008 | NATO Advanced Language course, Bournemouth, (GBR) |
| 2013 | Hazard prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) Course, Oberammergau, (DEU) |
| 2013 | NATO NBC Analysis Operators Course Oberammergau, (DEU) |
| 2014 | Geographic information system (ArcGIS), Prague, (CZE) |
| 2020 | Senior NCO Orientation Course, Vyškov, (CZE) |
WORKING EXPERIENCE
| August 1994 – June 2001 | Platoon Commander of the 46th Anti-aircraft Defence Regiment, Strakonice, (CZE) |
| June 2001 - July 2004 | Senior Staff Specialist of the OPS - J7 Division, SHAPE, Mons, (BEL) |
| August 2004 – December 2006 | Technician-Specialist of the Joint Operations Centre at Czech MOD, Prague (CZE) |
| January 2007 – January 2009 | Senior Technician Specialist of the Military Academy, Vyškov, (CZE) |
| February 2009 – July 2012 | Commanding Senior Staff Specialist of the Czech Military Representative Office at NATO HQ, Brussels, (BEL) |
| October 2012 – March 2021 | Senior Specialist of the Modelling and Simulation Section of the JCBRN Defence COE, Vyškov, (CZE) |
| April 2021 – today | Senior Enlisted Leader of the JCBRN Defence COE, Vyškov, (CZE) |
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Czech Armed Forces Honorary Badge of Merit of the Chief of the General Staff
Medal of Czech Minister of Defence for Service Abroad
Medal of Czech Minister of Defence for Service in the Armed Forces – 1st Class
Medal of the 50th Anniversary of NATO Establishment
Medal for Service in NATO
FAMILY & HOBBIES
2 Children – a daughter and a son
Hobby – motorbike, nature, technologies
Former Directors
Col. (GS) Vratislav OSVALD (Jan 2017 - Jan 2020)
Col. (GS) Jiří GAJDOŠ (Aug 2012 - Jan 2017)
Col. (GS) Zdeněk ČÍŽEK (Mar 2008 - Jul 2012)
Col. (ret.) Radomír MIKEŠ (Oct 2006 - February 2008)