A Walk Around Camp Pannonia, the Only Hungarian-led Military Camp in Afghanistan

Camp Pannonia is the only Hungarian-run camp in Afghanistan. Extending over an area
of some 300×300 meters, the camp is situated on an island in the inner part of the city with
150,000 inhabitants, in the valley of the Baghlan River.

In the autumn of 2006, the Hungarian Defence Forces took over from the Dutch partners the
area with the tasks of the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Over the six and a half years that
have passed since, more than 2500 Hungarian troops have completed their six-month service
here – many of them doing three or even four tours of duty with the mission.

Col. Antal Sipos, contingent commander informed us that presently citizens of ten nations
are living and working inside the barracks which can accommodate more than 300 personnel.
Besides the Hungarian soldiers, there are servicemembers of the Monetengrin, US and
German militaries, Hungarian diplomats and policemen as well as the local and foreign
staff members of the Supreme private company which operates the camp. The Hungarian
policemen serve with the European Union Police Mission (EUPOL) in Afghanistan, while the
diplomats deal with the PRT development projects and maintain political contact with their
Afghan partners.

Camp Pannonia is basically a fort whose fences and the outer part of the buildings are
reinforced with HESCO bastions in the interest of greater security. The geodesic fabric fitted
on a steel-mesh cage-like frame (a 1×1 meters square with a height of 1.5 meters) is filled
with sand, rock or rubble. Stacked against and on top of one another, these modules form a
high wall and provide general protection for the people living in the camp.

The major living and office buildings in the camp bear the names of Hungarian garrison
towns. The command is in “Székesfehérvár", “Tata", “Debrecen", “Budapest" and Szolnok"
accommodate the soldiers, while “Pápa" houses the conference rooms. The just mentioned
buildings are built from container modules. Placed side by side, the two rows of the one-
or two-person containerized housing/office units facing each other are connected by a joint
roofed corridor. The lavatories and the showers are grouped in separate containers, co-located
inside the laundry building in the centre of the camp.

There is a white stone building beside the entry to the camp. This so-called “PRT house"
contains a large conference room and the offices of the PRT CIMIC cell. This building is used
for conducting negotiations with the Afghan authorities. The post exchange (PX) next to the
building sells basic sanitary tools, soft drinks and snacks. Those who want to buy more can
spend their money at the so-called inner market in the area of the camp, where local vendors
sell their products (trainers, scarves etc.)

The soldiers and the local staff members often play football or volleyball matches on
the parade ground opposite the PRT house. There is a well-equipped “Gold Gym Camp
Pannoina" for those wishing to do sport.

When the personnel get hungry after service or doing sport, three times a day they can eat hot
meal at the canteen which is housed in another white stone building of the camp. Breakfast,
lunch and dinner are prepared by the staff of the company responsible for the operation of the
camp and catering of the personnel. The canteen building houses a 10-person internet room
– which plays an important role in maintaining contact with the families – and the telephone
booths. Phoning is usually done with reverse charge calls placed through the system of the
Hungarian Defence Forces, so the called party is charged only the Budapest rates. There is
a rest area known as “Hard Rock Café Pol-e Khomri" next to the dining facility, where a
mess, snooker and table football rooms help the personnel working six days per week to relax
whenever they are off duty.

The third white stone house of the “barracks" houses the “Dr. Borbély Csaba" Medical
Center. The staff of the ROLE-1 basic-level medical facility consists of Hungarian and
Montenegrin doctors and nurses who provide expertise and care to assist the recovery of the
personnel.

Two characteristic buildings in the camp are the handball court-sized camo and white tents.
The latter mainly functions as a storehouse and a gym, and the staff meetings as well as the
Easter and Christmas celebrations are also held here. Somewhat bigger than the white one, the
camo tent houses the maintenance subunit of the contingent, which inspects and repairs the
vehicles of the motor transport (MT) and the machines of contingent.

In Camp Pannonia you can find a tent camp which can accommodate almost 100 personnel.
This is needed because the ISAF forces of the allies operating in the province sometimes
leave their own barracks for several days, and on these occasions the tired soldiers can rest in
the so-called “safe houses".

The camp is also capable of receiving helicopters. The helipad is ready around the clock to
receive the allies’ military helicopters and the civilian ones, which transport passengers and
cargo.

Photos: Tünde Rácz