Exceptional Troop Rotation and Medal Parade in Sinai Peninsula

The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) consists of soldiers and policemen and is stationed in the Sinai Peninsula. The March schedule of the MFO Hungarian contingent included training, drills, medal parade, staff meeting on Hungary’s National Day, inauguration of a Székely gate and the transfer of authority to the next rotation.

In early March the local Bedouins set up blockades on the main roads leading to MFO Camp North and on the runways of the airport for more than a week. The route denial forced many MFOR members to stay outside the borders or at observation posts and checkpoints. The MFO Headquarters detailed soldiers from the contingents to operate the vital facilities needed to maintain daily life.

The leadership of the Hungarian contingent was forced to revise their preliminary plans on a daily basis. On March 15, Hungary’s National Day, the Székely gate was inaugurated in the night hours. A few months earlier Police Capt. Ervin Zahuczky, Police CW Attila Molnár and S/Sgt. Zoltán Lepsényi decided to build this gate. They requested Maj.-Gen. Warren J. Whiting to inaugurate the Székely gate, and he was very pleased to do so.

The soldiers held a ceremonial staff meeting to commemorate the events of the 1848/49 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. At the March 16 medal parade, Col. Monty Willoughby, Chief of Staff and Col. Michel Brisebois handed over MFO medals to the personnel for their successful tour of duty abroad. During the ceremony, Maj. János Utassy and 1st Lt. Péter Pál received recognition from the MFO Force Commander, Maj. Jenő Dohándi and S/Sgt. László Filó from the Chief of Staff, Police WO Zoltán Boros and SFC István Valki from the Command Sergeant Major, while Police Maj. Dr. Tamás Schultz, Capt. Dorottya Valéria Kiss and SFC Norbert Merk from the commander of the contingent.

The troops of the previous rotation returned home on March 18.