NATO Special Operations Basic Course For The First Time In Hungary

In addition to the NATO march, the national anthems of the United States, Estonia, Slovakia, and Hungary were also played on February 2, at the opening ceremony held in the HDF Peace Support Training Centre (HDF PSTC) in Szolnok. These nations will participate in the NATO’s special operations basic course, which is held in Hungary for the first time, and the preparations of which have been completed by the special operations troops of the PSTC.

In 2008, the special operations training branch of the HDF PSTC, in cooperation with the HDF 34th ’László Bercsényi’ Special Operations Battalion, have already completed the first basic course in Hungary with success. Hungarian servicemen, as well as Slovakian and Estonian students will attend this year’s special operations basic course, starting on February 2 and lasting until late October, held by Hungarian and American trainers.

The experienced trainers who have participated in various trainings abroad and have been on mission several times prepare the selected personnel in five phases. After eighteen weeks of individual special operations training, there is a five-week special tactical course in the program, followed by one month of general special operations training. The course ends with a two-month collective special tactical phase, and the so-called closing exercise. In the terminologies of special operations, basic level group commanders, weapon, engineering, and signal specialists will be trained.

The students receive a training that has been conducted only in the international special operations school of the US Army until now. The training is also a serious challenge because it is in English, thus it gives the troops who will serve in an international environement in the future a general and a special military knowledge.

General (eng.) László Tömböl, the MoD Chief of Defence Staff – who was received with military honours in the courtyard of the PSTC – and Major General Thomas R. Csrnko, the Commander of the Special Operations Center and School of the Land Forces of the US were present at the formal opening of the NATO special operations basic course.

In his speech Gen. Tömböl said that the events that happened on September 11, 2001, have opened the eyes of the countries of the world, and made them realize that we have to face global terrorism. After the terrorist attack in America a lot of countries have had to reconsider their earlier views in connection with terrorism, and how they could restructure their forces for the sake of efficient protection.

The chief of the defence staff said that since Hungary was also one of these countries, in 2002-2003 the restructuring of the military began. One of the results of the process was that we had to realize that the Hungarian army was not ready to answer the new challenges. Therefore a special operations force had to be established within the Hungarian Defence Forces. The decision was made, and the reconnaissance battalion called László Bercsényi was formed. Troops who had already participated in a special operations training in the United States of America were the core of the unit. The task of this small group was to lay down the principles on the basis of which the battalion can operate in the future. In this work the Hungarian Defence Forces have received a lot of help from the US government and the US embassy in Budapest – underlined Gen. Tömböl.

– Outsiders have every right to ask why is there a need for a special operations team in the Hungarian military. The answer, first of all, is that the threats we may have to face in the future require these special operations capabilities. Therefore we need a rapid response force that can be deployed anywhere and can be used even in delicate situations – said the chief of the defence staff, also mentioning that the 34th in-depth reconnaissance battalion started the development of special operations capabilities in 2005. The US Army helped them a lot. The first mobile training group arrived in Hungary in 2006, and they trained the first special operations troops.

– Those of you who have completed this training will remember how complex and difficult this preparation was, but it has produced results! – the chief of the defence staff reminded the troops. In his speech Gen. Tömböl also mentioned that the first Hungarian special operations unit began service in Afghanistan in January 2009. Since then it is already the third tour of duty in the Asian country, and the fourth contingent is also ready. And the results to date are excellent.

– On the basis of these results we have decided to try to contribute to international special operations trainings, and establish a training centre in Hungary. It was a very long, difficult, and complex process. But we would like to develop our personnel further, and believe that regional trainings are also very important. We think this kind of training contributes to sharing experiences with each other – said the chief of defence staff.

Finally Gen. Tömböl emphasized: the task the Hungarian, Slovakian, and Estonian troops have undertaken is not easy. But once they complete the course and master the special operations capability and knowledge, they will do a great service to their countries.