The Hungarian Soldier Is the Symbol of Trustworthiness

Currently the 16th rotation of the HDF KFOR Contingent (KFOR-16 HUNCON) is serving in the Western Balkans country that declared independence in 2008 and is recognized by several countries as an independent nation. For the most part, the Hungarian soldiers’ tasks have remained unchanged over the last few years, but the members of the contingent which deployed in late February this year have been assigned a wider scope of duties and, consequently, greater responsibility as the earlier rotations. The Portuguese contingent is going to withdraw from Kosovo and the KFOR mission at the end of April, and the Hungarian troops are going to take over and perform their tasks as well. This means that from now on, the HDF KFOR contingents of the Hungarian Defence Forces will make up the KFOR Tactical Reserve (TACRES) Battalion, which is under COMKFOR’s direct tactical command.

Accordingly, after its arrival, the first task for the 16th rotation – which is mostly drawn from the soldiers of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade – was to reach full operational capability (FOC). By the beginning of March, the first Company of the contingent had successfully accomplished this task, and so the trainees have become trainers:
besides continuing the practices stemming from other duties, they have also commenced the training of the second Company that arrived later, and exercised their comrades as an opposing force.

Together with units of other nations participating in the peacekeeping mission, and the members of other security providers in Kosovo, in mid-April the Hungarian soldiers serving with KFOR had opportunity to demonstrate their high-level professionalism on Exercise Silver Sabre 2017. The Hungarian contingent was at once conducting the exercise as a crowd and riot control (CRC) subunit and as an opposing force (OPFOR). Although the Hungarian soldiers credibly played the role of an “angry crowd" as well, the attention focused on the members of the second Company, who carried out an anti-riot task.

The innumerable practices in Hungary and Kosovo have produced the intended result: the skills the Hungarian soldiers displayed during the closing exercise are indisputable proof of their high-level professionalism. After the successful task execution, in his speech, Maj.-Gen. Giovanni Fungo, the Italian commander of KFOR succinctly stated that the soldiers had demonstrated their preparedness, and said that “I trust you".

Brig.-Gen. Romulusz Ruszin, Commander, HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade expressed his sincere pride in assessing the performance that the troops had given during the exercise. He said that “it is a huge source of pride for the 5th Brigade, for Debrecen, for the Hungarian Defence Forces, and, I am convinced that for Hungary as well. Our partners trust us and see that Hungarian soldiers are valuable partners of the Alliance."

“I am very proud that I can be the commander of this contingent, first and foremost because the soldiers and colleagues around me are very competent in their profession and perform their tasks by high professional standards", National Contingent Commander Lt.-Col. Attila Budai told us after the exercise.

Photos by the author