Hungarian Soldiers on EUFOR Exercise

One objective of the exercise was to provide the troop contributing nations – which take
an active part in implementing the new reserve concept – with opportunity to practice
activation, quick deployment as well as to conduct joint training and exercise with the active
participation of the forces available in the area of operations, acting together with designated
key elements of the armed forces of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Bosnian Ministry of Internal
Security.

Operation “Quick Response 2013" involved Hungarian, British, Austrian and Bosnian
maneuver subunits as part of the EUFOR Multinational Battalion, as well as Austrian and
Bosnian helicopters.

Since the formation of Intermediate Reserves Forces in Hungary, this has been the first time
that Hungary participated in an exercise like this, with 143 soldiers altogether. The director
of the international exercise was Brig.-Gen. József Szpisják, EUFOR Chief of Staff, Senior
National Representative at the EUFOR HQ.

The re-enforcement of subunits participating in the exercise and the crowd riot control (CRC),
rescue and evacuation phases during the dynamic demonstration took place in the presence of
the Operational Commander of EUFOR ALTHEA, General Sir Richard Shirreff, Commander
EUFOR, Major General Dieter Heidecker and Maj.-Gen. László Domján, Commander, HDF
Joint Force Command.

In recognition of its outstanding work on the exercise, the Hungarian company was assigned
the most emphatic and spectacular CRC task on the Distinguished Visitors’ Day. The unit
executed this task by excellent professional standards.

In his assessment of the exercise, Gen. Shirreff thanked the Hungarian Defence Forces for
their valuable contribution. He personally expressed his appreciation to Brig.-Gen. Szpisják
and Capt. József Székács, the commander of the maneuver company of the HDF EUFOR
Contingent for the organization and successful management of the exercise.

At the Hungarian staff meeting held after the exercise, Maj.-Gen. Domján said he was very
proud of the Hungarian soldiers’ very high professional standards. He also noted that the
Hungarian contingent is mainly drawn from the personnel of the HDF 12th Arrabona SAM
Regiment and the HDF 37th “Ferenc Rákóczi II" Engineer Regiment. Maj. Gen. Domján
added that knowing the performance given by these soldiers in missions abroad, he had
already anticipated their successful participation.

During his visit to Sarajevo, the commander of the HDF Joint Force Command met the
Hungarian staff officers serving at the EUFOR ALTHEA HQ and the NATO HQ Sarajevo.

The next phase of the exercise will probably be held in this autumn. Analysis of the lessons
learned and their integration into the peace support procedures will enable the Hungarian
soldiers to demonstrate their capabilities on that occasion.

Photo: HDF EUFOR Contingent