HDF Operations and Doctrine Centre: New Tasks

Standardization and doctrine-related tasks within the Hungarian Defence Forces have been transferred from the Force Planning Directorate of the HDF Defence Staff to the HDF Operations and Doctrine Centre (HDF ODC). The record of transfer was signed by Brig-Gen. Zoltán Mihócza, the head of the Force Planning Directorate and Col. Zoltán Gulyás, the commander of the HDF ODC at a ceremony held on Thursday, April 28 in the Ministry of Defence on Balaton St, Budapest.

In his welcome speech, Lt-Gen. Zoltán Orosz emphasized that by integrating the tasks schemes related to doctrine, the analysis of lessons learned and the development of field manuals, the HDF created a new, but long-needed capability that can handle more efficiently the processing of NATO doctrines, STANAGs, allied publications and the related national documents. The Deputy Chief of the MoD Defence Staff added that the new structure is identical with the system used by our NATO allies.

After the ceremonial signing of the record of transfer, Brig-Gen. Mihócza noted that during the handover phase that had begun in January and ended in late April, they had managed to establish a good working relationship with the staff of the Operations and Doctrine Centre, which had accelerated the handover of the entire set of tasks and the management of current affairs.

Col. Zoltán Gulyás stressed that the requirements set by the top leadership of the Hungarian Defence Forces can be met only in an environment where the producers of doctrine and field manuals closely cooperate with those putting the principles and procedures into practice. To achieve this, the channels of communication need to be defined clearly and the relevant tasks and scopes of responsibilities must also be identified precisely. The most important forum for this activity is the meeting of the Hungarian Defence Forces Committee for Operational Standardization and Doctrine. The next meeting of the Committee, to be held on May 26, will be organized and chaired by the HDF ODC.

The commander of the Operations and Doctrine Centre added that his aim is to develop an approach to doctrine production that will guarantee, through the analysis of lessons learned, that the Hungarian Defence Forces’ doctrine-based document system can function properly in national and international environments and adapt to their changes on a continuous basis. They have started the preparations for a conference on doctrine, the main objective of which is to introduce the top leadership of the HDF to the specifics of the tasks and functioning of doctrine development.

 

Photo: László Tóth