Ceremony and Farewell to HDF Troops in Hódmezõvásárhely

Speaking in Kossuth Square, Hódmezõvásárhely about the flag awarded to the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade, MoD Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. István Simicskó said: ‘Today the unit colors go to a battalion that has been declared ‘combat ready’ in NATO for the third time.’ The State Secretary stressed that this is an unprecedented situation in the history of the Hungarian Defence Forces. ‘Any outfit must meet as many as 1,300 different criteria to be certified as combat ready’, he added, pointing out that the unit colors awarded by the town symbolize honor and strong ties. He called the ongoing cooperation between the garrison town and its servicemen exemplary.

Lt-Gen. Tibor Benkõ, Chief, MoD Defence Staff also attended the event where HUN PRT-9 Commander Col. Péter Lippai and KFOR HUN CONT Commander Ltc. László Kanyó reported on the personnel’s deployability posture before the relevant orders on their postings were read out. In line with these orders, a total of 272 troops are to serve in the HUN PRT-9 or to fill different individual positions in ISAF while 205 servicemen are to commence their tours of duty in the third KFOR HUN CONT in Kosovo.
Addressing the infantrymen Dr. István Simicskó said that every fourth soldier of the garrison town is now about to leave to serve in some mission abroad. He noted that Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende had already been informed about the dangers and has taken steps to deal with the shortfalls during the recently completed training program. Hungary considers the work done by our troops in missions abroad a priority, as their performance is going to build Hungary’s image and reputation in NATO, the State Secretary said, quoting the brigade’s slogan ‘Honor, courage and determination’. ‘If you keep the threefold message of this sentence in mind, you will never get into big trouble. I ask you to execute your tasks sensibly and conscientiously without ever behaving recklessly’ – this was how Dr. István Simicskó concluded his speech. ‘The Hódmezõvásárhely garrison and the infantrymen serving in the barracks are inseparable from the town’, Dr. Péter Kószó, the deputy mayor of Hódmezõvásárhely said.

Following the town leader’s speech LTC Balázs Szloszjár, Commanding Officer, 62nd Infantry Battalion, HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade took over the unit colors while Dr. Ágnes Korsós, the titular town-clerk of Hódmezõvásárhely tied a streamer on it. In what followed, the representatives of the established churches consecrated and blessed the flag that is decorated with the coats of arms of the battalion and the town on its two sides respectively. LTC Balázs Szloszjár thanked the town of Hódmezõvásárhely for the award. Referring to a military regulation issued in 1873, he said the Hungarian soldiers consider their unit colors a sacrament, a glorious token of the trust that the homeland places in its valiant warriors. He added that the expectations and the command have not lost their timeliness until the present day. ‘From this day on, the troops of the 62nd battalion can fight under deserving colors for the glory of their homeland and that of Hódmezõvásárhely within it’ – this was how the Commanding Officer concluded his answer.