Robles has started his visit in the Military Breeding Center, located in the quartet 'El Pradillo', one of the six units of the Armed Forces specialized in this matter.
The minister stressed to reporters that this is the most important center for dog breeding and training, both in Spain and in Europe, and stressed that "the actions of the Armed Forces and Security Corps against terrorism and crime and in humanitarian work they would be much more difficult without these canine units. " And he has indicated that "any safety operation requires the participation of dogs that are absolutely prepared, trained and well trained."
Accompanied by the head of the center, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Crespo, has traveled the stables of equine cattle, the dog breeding unit and the veterinary service to learn the details of the process of breeding and dressage of these animals.
In addition, he has witnessed an exhibition of stallions of different races and a dressage session to end with a walk through the museum hall of the unit.
Opening the archives to society
The holder of Defense has also moved to the Military General Archive, the first military archive that was opened to the public, after the authorization of this Department to consult a good part of the documentation prior to 1968.
Robles, who was the first minister to visit these units a little over a year ago, has verified on the spot the changes that have taken place in his day to day after the opening of his funds.
Ministry of DefenceThe director of the Archive, Colonel Juan Antonio Pérez-Chao Maldonado, has detailed how are the tasks of conservation of the documents, the optimization for the deposit of funds and the procedure for the consultation of documents by the public, among others.
With the help of technical staff, the minister has toured the different areas of this archive: the boardroom and study, the plans (spaces for storing the archives, both old and new), and the permanent showroom.
Robles has explained to the media that one of the priorities of the Ministry of Defense has been that all military archives prior to 1968 be opened to society.
In this regard, it has indicated that one of the objectives of this Government is and will be "the repeal of the Official Secrets Act of 1968", so that there are no limitations so that the public can access these documents and" facilitating maximum transparency from the Ministry of Defense. "
The minister has pointed out that "Spain is an absolutely consolidated democracy and, although the secrets that have to be protected will be protected, the law will be modified so that citizens can access this documentation."
National Police School
Finally, the holder of Defense has moved to the National Police School, a center in which training programs are given to future members of the police forces, to "thank and recognize the National Police Corps for their dedication, their work and their effort to preserve public safety and order" and express "all their solidarity, after the difficult moments they have lived. "
During the visit, the minister held a meeting with the director of the School, Commissioner José Luis Tejedor, and with a representation of the teaching staff. He has also been interested in the different modalities of access to this Corps, both at the basic and the executive level, as well as the training provided for the fight against gender violence and abuse.
Robles has been accompanied by the Undersecretary of Defense, Alejo de la Torre; the subdelegate of the Government in Ávila. Arturo Barral and the delegate of Defense in Castilla y León, Colonel Vicente Rodríguez, among other civil and military authorities.
Horse breeding center
Ministry of DefenceThe Armed Forces Horse Breeding Service, under the General Technical Secretariat of the Ministry of Defense, is responsible for the breeding, selection and reproduction of purebred equine and canine cattle to meet the needs of the Armies and the Royal Guard , as well as the requests of other public bodies. In addition, it develops equestrian and horse training plans in the military field and collaborates in this area with the public and private sector.
The Military Center of Cría Caballar de Ávila is one of the six facilities belonging to the Armed Forces specialized in these tasks. Located in the 'El Pradillo' quarter, it has an area of more than 50,000 square meters and a workforce of 30 workers, including military and civilians.
Military General Archive
The General Military Archive of Ávila was created in 1993, given the need for space in the Central Archive of the Military Historical Service, today the General Military Archive of Madrid, and the General Military Archive of Segovia, the main historical archives of the Army.
It concentrates about 40,000 boxes of documents – more than 8,500 linear meters – and is the one that houses the most important documentation related to the Civil War.
The center is configured to host the most contemporary documentation of the Army, with the exception of the personal files of the military and troop soldiers, which are kept in the General Military Archive of Segovia and in the General Military Archive of Guadalajara.
The resolution of September 20, 2018 The Ministry of Defense authorizes, in general, the consultation of the documentation prior to 1968.