They Have Crossed the River Danube

Exercise Brave Warrior 2015 is going full steam ahead in Hungary with the participation of troops from several nations. The guests visiting the VIP day of the exercise saw the forces of two NATO allies conducting a river crossing operation – a critical strategic mission – supported by waterborne protection and air cover.

Colleen Bell, the ambassador of the United States of America to Hungary also visited the phase of the exercise, arriving at the venue of the press briefing by a Stryker across a Hungarian floating bridge. As she said, she considers this exercise to be of crucial importance. She added that the planning of this exercise took several months, and it is another excellent example of Hungarian–American cooperation. There is close security cooperation between the two nations, and Hungary is a strong, enthusiastic and reliable partner and ally. It is clear that we have to carry on this work because NATO is the most successful military alliance in history, Colleen Bell said.

Tamás Vargha, Parliamentary State Secretary, Ministry of Defence stated that “we have crossed the river not only physically but also in a non-literal sense". “The two countries’ armed forces have been working together for 16 years now, so we have come a long way until the present day. Over the recent years, Hungary has done its best to develop the capabilities of its armed forces. It is a very important feedback to know that our American allies speak of us with appreciation, as the Hungarian soldiers perform beyond their limits in Hungary and abroad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those soldiers who have been serving for days, fully stretched and far from their families on the southern borders of our country", the State Secretary said. Tamás Vargha added that this is the first exercise where US troops are operating under the command of a Hungarian general, as the exercise director is Brig.-Gen. Gábor Horváth, the commander of the HDF 25th “György Klapka" Infantry Brigade.

Brig.-Gen. Timothy J. Daugherty, Deputy Commander, US 4th Infantry Division said that the greatest benefit of this exercise is that a kind of cooperation like this has been going on at the same time and in the same place. According to the brigadier-general, the things they saw during the day give a good example of the engineering capabilities of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The exercise is running until October 21 and will continue in the Bakony Hills in the next weeks.

Photo: Tünde Rácz