Destinations: Balkans, Afghanistan

Szöveg: Gábor Kálmánfi | 2015. május 8. 9:00

On foreign missions, it is harder to perform one’s duties in individual positions than in units. In these cases, individual abilities and personally tailored training are very important, Maj.-Gen. János Huszár, Chief of Staff, HDF Joint Force Command emphasized at a joint farewell and homecoming ceremony held in Székesfehérvár on Tuesday, May 5.

Addressing the soldiers leaving for the Balkans to serve there in individual positions, Maj.-Gen. János Huszár said that Hungary, as a stable partner, has long been participating in peacekeeping operations in that region.

“From the military point of view, the situation is complex in the Balkans. There is fire under the ashes – the former grievances of the people living in the area are still glowing. We would like to help the people living there to be able to shape history instead of just suffering it, but only in peaceful ways", the chief of staff told us.

In connection with Afghanistan it was stated that the situation is unstable there and that no operation ends until the last soldier has safely left the area. In his opinion, those who do not prepare themselves mentally and physically for the mission may put themselves and their comrades in danger.

“Every minute of the day, you must be aware that security comes first. This is true even during the execution of those tasks that may seem routine", Maj.-Gen. János Huszár warned. It was stated that this is the first time that Hungarian joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) travel to the area of operations in Afghanistan.

The chief of staff said that all troops preparing for a six-month tour had conducted the pre-deployment training in a disciplined way, and besides their duties in individual positions, they must lay great emphasis on acquiring new knowledge and skills.

The general closed his speech by saying “it is not certain that the troops deploying to the area of operations will have the hardest task". In his opinion, the situation of their next of kin in Hungary is at least as difficult as theirs, or maybe even more so.

“Don’t be left alone with your problems and decisions: the human service offices of the Hungarian Defence Forces are continuously available", the chief of staff asked the relatives.

At the event, Maj.-Gen. János Huszár presented an award to Lt.-Col. Attila Tóth for his service in Greece at the Operational Headquarters of the EU Military Operation in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA).