The Alpha and Omega of Military Education

Acting Rector of ZMNE Prof. Dr. Eng. Col. József Padányi, CSc emphasized: the advanced-level leadership course is of determinative importance in the portfolio of the university, and the officers passing out have either already been playing a key role in the structure of the Ministry of Defence and the Hungarian Defence Forces, or will serve in influential positions in the near future. The general staff training is a kind of elite course in Hungarian military education, and both the MoD and the HDF will count on it in the future as well, therefore it will continue to run at the Military Science Faculty of the National Public Service University (NKE), due to open in January 2012.

Following Col. Padányi’s speech, Brig-Gen. Tibor Bozó, Chief of Personnel Directorate, MoD Defence Staff, Col. Dr. József Padányi, and Col. (Eng.) Dr. Sándor Felházi, Dean of the Kossuth Lajos Military Science Faculty handed over the diplomas and the tokens of appreciations to the course-leavers. Gen. Bozó conveyed the greetings and congratulations of the Chief of Defence and underlined: the general staff course is the “part and parcel" of Hungarian military education, which is proven by the fact that since 1993, out of the 255 officers who finished the newly reformed course, 33 have become generals and a further 30 have produced outstanding achievements in the field of science. The general emphasized that during the course students receive an attitude and acquire a strategic way of thinking in theory and in practice as well.

Tibor Bozó said: since there are changes taking place in the Hungarian Defence Forces and in the international environment, there is an increasing need for the application of this comprehensive knowledge in a broad-minded and logical way.

Lt-Col. (Eng.) József Mogyorósi made a reply speech on behalf of the students, thanking the leaders of the Ministry, the MoD Defence Staff and the university, and Col. (Eng.) Dr. István Resperger, the commander of the course, for mentoring them during this highly important – now closing – chapter of their military career. Finally he added that in line with the motto of the course, they will serve in the spirit of priority, superiority and competence in order to defend the homeland and meet the requirements set by NATO and the European Union.

 
Photo: Mária Krasznai-Nehrebeczky

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