Last PRT Rotation Receives NATO Medal for Service

Brig.-Gen. Wolfgang Gabelein, the ISAF Regional Command North (ISAF RC-N) Deputy
Chief of Staff Support and Brig.-Gen. Ferenc Korom, the Chief of Staff of ISAF RC-N, senior
national representative of Hungary also attended the medal parade.

With the NATO medal, the Alliance pays honor to every soldier serving with the NATO
ISAF mission. Besides the more than 100 Hungarian, close to 40 Montenegrin and some US
soldiers, the Hungarian policemen participating in the European Union Police Mission in
Afghanistan (EUPOL) in Afghanistan also received the medal.

Col. Antal Sipos, the commander of the PRT-13 rotation delivered a speech in English, in
which he pointed out that “this mission is not only another rotation of the Hungarian Defence
Forces Provincial Reconstruction Team. This contingent is much more than that, because in
addition to the everyday duties, the PRT-13 is tasked with closing down and handing over the
camp."

Since October 2006, the Hungarian Defence Forces have been present in Afghanistan with
the contingent of the Provincial Reconstruction Team to help the development of the country.
Over the last six and a half years or so, more than 2,500 Hungarian troops have served at
Camp Pannonia, the base of the Hungarian contingent – some of them have completed three
tours of duty in the province.

The contingent commander thanked the personnel with these words: “You have undertaken
significantly more tasks than the previous rotations, because most of you have been serving
here at the PRT camp for the second time in a year. You have responded to the call of duty,
and taken up the challenges again."

Brig.-Gen. Gabelein Wolfgang, Brig.-Gen. Ferenc Korom, Col. Antal Sipos and Lt.-Col.
Balázs Szloszjár presented the NATO medals to the PRT rotation. The soldiers are proud to
wear the NATO medals. The members of the Montenegrin force protection (FP) platoon in
the camp and the US soldiers serving with the PRT received the “For Peacekeeping" Service
Medals awarded by Hungarian Minister of Defence Csaba Hende. The decoration was
presented by Brig.-Gen. Ferenc Korom and Col. Antal Sipos.

Addressing the soldiers’ family members, Col. Sipos said that “Never forget to say thanks
to your loved ones and your families who stand behind you during your service […] Please
give my greatest compliment and respect to them, because they are real heroes". He went
on praising the work done by the Montenegrin soldiers and their support, and thanked the
American partner for the significant assistance and support to the service in Afghanistan.

The Hungarian soldiers are holding their own in NATO’s most important operation in
Afghanistan. The experience and knowledge gained in international peace support operations

are indispensable for national defence. In the spring of 2013, the Hungarian-led Provincial
Reconstruction Team will complete its mission, so the Hungarian Defence Forces will
withdraw their PRT contingent from Baghlan Province. Concurrently, Hungary will terminate
its provincial development activity in Afghanistan. The withdrawal of the PRT does not mean
the end of Hungary’s military role in Afghanistan: we will continue our training, advisory,
mentoring and force protection activities.

Photo: Tünde Rácz