Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Visits Hungary

General Sir James Everard – who was appointed as DSACEUR this year – paid his first visit to Hungary between 21–22 November. Since March 2017, General Sir James Everard has been serving as NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and he has not been to Hungary before. Basically, the aim of his two-day visit was to get an update on the national standpoint on current issues of the Alliance.

After a welcome ceremony with military honors, the DSACEUR was first received at a closed-door meeting by Chief of Defence General Dr. Tibor Benkő, and then, during the plenary talks, he received an update on the Hungarian standpoint, the threat posed by Russia, the current state of the development of the Graduated Response Plan (GRP) and the aspects of its revision. Besides, further topics of the discussion included the Hungarian Defence Forces’ role abroad, with special regard to NATO-led missions and the Balkans Joint Operational Area, and the DSACEUR was also briefed in detail on the transformation and development plans of the Hungarian armed forces.

The delegation headed by General Sir James Everard paid a visit to the HDF NCO Academy in Szentendre to learn about the ongoing work in the institution, where its members were given an insight into the system of NCO training and C-IED training in Hungary. They were also informed about the recently finished International Week of the Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course organized by the Hungarian Defence Forces and the related experiences. As part of the official program, General Sir James Everard and his delegation were received on courtesy calls by Tamás Vargha, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Levente Benkő, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Photo: WO Lajos Szabó