Training Nearing Completion

Szöveg: László Szűcs | 2012. április 11. 10:36

The training for the eight rotation of the HDF Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (HDF OMLT) is nearing completion. Consisting of US and Hungarian troops, the contingent conducted various target practices in Szomód between April 2-6, on the garrison range of the HDF 25th ‘Klapka György’ Infantry Brigade of Tata.

Galéria

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The eight rotation of the HDF OMLT to serve in Afghanistan is conducting a six-month pre-deployment training in Tata, at the HDF 25th ‘Klapka György’ Infantry Brigade. The joint US–Hungarian contingent will be tasked with mentoring an ANA battalion in the ISAF area of operations, Lt.-Col. István Tóth told us.

The designated commander of the OMLT told us that the servicemen of the eight rotation had started their training in last November in three phases. The first was the national training, while the second a NATO-led one. The soldiers will conduct the third phase of the training in the area of operations.

“A significant part of the eight rotation is drawn from the infantry battalion of the Tata brigade, but of course the contingent comprises soldiers from other HDF units too. Members of the Ohio National Guard also serve with the OMLT contingent, just like in the earlier troop rotations", noted Lt.-Col. Tóth, who is the commander of the infantry battalion, and has already served in Afghanistan with the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT).

The commander pointed out that many soldiers of the rotation are already familiar with the area of operations in Afghanistan. Some of them have deployed with the OMLT, while most of them with the PRT one or more times.

The US soldiers joined the training of the Hungarians in mid-March, and have been able to cooperate with them during these few weeks on the required level, the commander of the OMLT told us. He added that the schedule of the range week between April 2 and 6 included target practice with infantry and special weapons. With this, the domestic part of the training – which draws on the lessons learned by soldiers of previous rotations – is nearing completion.

(Our photos were taken on the April 3 range day)