Future Leaders Learn From Their Own Difficulties

Only those who really pay attention can hear it: in the distance dead leaves rattle, a twig cracks, and a bird takes flight from a branch. Somebody is approaching. In the thick underbush it is difficult to spot anybody, but suddenly a shrub moves and a soldier wearing camouflage face paint, a camouflage hat and tree leaves as a disguise steps out from behind. He kneels, aims his weapon, covering his team mate who is just becoming visible. They look around watchfully, searching for natural dugouts.

"Here will be ok" – whispers one of them, and the other nods, indicating his consent. Then, as silently as they arrived, they leave. In a few minutes’ time four troops return. The two ’scouts’ direct at the positions of the others.

"These men belong to the security subunit" – Lieutenant Sándor Virágos-Kis explains what we have just seen. He also tells us that the members of the fire support and storm trooper subunits are to join them soon. They will take up the positions designated for them and camouflage themselves, then wait for the target to arrive. They are getting prepared for an ambuscade …

On the forest path an ATV turns up, with four gunners. A second later the events accelerate to a speed that is nearly impossible to follow for an external (and incompetent) observer. For a few seconds all we can see are muzzle fires, and the echo of assault rifle and machine gun shots sounds formidable in the narrow valley. Then the last bullet is shot and the storm trooper subunit heads for the vehicle and its passengers. They search and check everything.

When the operations have come to an end, Lieutenant Virágos-Kis lines up the guys. He is listing all minor/major errors made in the course of the ambuscade for minutes. For the time being, it is not a problem if somebody messes up, since the purpose of the training is to make the troops learn from their own mistakes.

Upon looking at the men, it is quite obvious for the visitor that they are tired. They don’t get much sleep lately, only 3-4 hours a day on average. Of course when they had applied for the training they already knew that the 5 weeks ahead will be very demanding. Lieutenant Virágos-Kis, the deputy training commander tells me that the so-called Special Combat Infantry Course is the toughest specialized training in the Hungarian Defence Forces. It is organized only twice a year – every spring and autumn – and they welcome the applications of troops who feel strong and courageous enough to participate in this extraordinary endeavour. The current exercise is the seventh in a row of training sessions the detailed implementation plans of which were compiled by the Szolnok-based HDF 25/88 Light Mixed Battalion, that allocated the course instructors, as well. All instructors had completed either a Ranger or a Special Forces course in the US, and their assistant instructors had also participated in the previous SCI courses.

It is not a coincidence that the dropout ratio is rather high, it is nearly 70 percent, which is quite standard for ranger trainings. The course is basically the Hungarian version of the US Army ranger training, which has the reputation of being one of the most demanding American courses.

"In the scope of the Special Combat Infantry Course we basically endeavour to bring out the leadership abilities of men who will be heading subunits, squads, platoons" – says the Lieutenant, while the guys are getting prepared to infiltrate the base. There were 24 applications for the present training, from ’Zrínyi Miklós’ University of National Defence and 25/88 Light Mixed Battalion. Only 23 men enrolled the course since one of the applicants did not meet the requirements of the admission process, which is a series of serious physical tests. The selection took place at the Szolnok corps, who also hosted the training drills of the day following the report, when troops were learning the basics of orientation. On the third day they were transferred to the Táborfalva field exercise ground, where they continued their orientation skills training. In the first weekend the team was relocated to Újdörögd, where they practiced the basics of patrolling, reconnaissance, and ambuscade in a forested and hilly exercise ground.

"At present we are finishing off the second week, and there are only fourteen participants left. Some had to leave for medical reasons, and there were some who could not bear continuous exertion and decided to quit" – tells me the deputy commander. In line with the tradition of ranger trainings, anybody who chooses to leave has to strike a gong three times, and say it aloud in front of the whole team that he is finishing the training on his own accord.

In the meantime the guys are practicing various drills in the football field of the Újdörögd base. Drills are frequently applied combat procedures which must be executed in exactly the same way by every soldier, without thinking, in a given situation. And all this takes practice.

As regards the training syllabus, the young officer tells me that the team will spend the first half of the third week of the 5-week SCI course in Csobánka, where participants are to master the so-called alpine techniques, more specifically tying methods, knots, and basic rope techniques. Patrolling under mountainous conditions and rescuing ’wounded pilots’ are also included in the programme.

Following Csobánka, the training continues at Újdörögd again, this time the troops learn how to execute an ambush. This expression is used for attacks the purpose of which is to destroy hostile forces, their equipment and facilities, without retaining the ground.

In the course of the fourth training week the team has various shooting practices at the Tatárszentgyörgy shooting range, and the training terminates with a whole week patrolling activity under combat-like conditions in the zone of the Újdörögd training base. With this practice the training is complete. Following that the soldiers are told who could meet the requirements, and who are awarded the ’Special Combat Infantryman’ tab for their uniform. All the successful ’graduates’ are given is a certificate and a tab – but once someone is wearing this tab, others usually pay greater respect to him in any corps.

The lieutenant also tells me that the training includes psychic preparations as well, thus in the course of the 5-week-programme participants are on the move almost all the time; they spend only the minimum time with eating or sleeping day after day. This is quite relevant since future subunit commanders are given an opportunity to gain ’firsthand experience’ of what their hungry, tired and unmotivated soldiers might think and how they would feel in a real life situation.