Perfect Cooperation

Military cooperation between the two nations started three years ago. The objectives of the annually organized joint training are to introduce the soldiers to each other’s operational procedures and to develop the cooperation which is needed for joint task execution. Thus the lessons learned in previous years have been integrated into this year’s exercise.

The training of the joint Serb–Hungarian platoon was based on a fictitious scenario. The two opposing nationalities in a faraway country came into conflict, so the country was divided. In order to supervise the line dividing the two sides, the UN deployed military forces, whose mission was to ensure freedom of movement and to maintain security. The joint platoon representing the UN forces first demonstrated the operation of a checkpoint, where the soldiers were tasked with managing pedestrian traffic, and they also executed crowd riot control (CRC) tasks. The personnel running the checkpoint first tried to negotiate with the crowd, but on seeing its strength and violent behavior they requested assistance from a quick reaction force (QRF) squad from the base. They formed a cordon with the help of the QRF and the vehicles arriving at the site, arrested the leader of the rioters at the reinforced checkpoint and then dispersed the crowd.

In what followed, the insurgents launched an attack on a UN observation post with mortars and small arms. The soldiers manning the OP immediately took up their pre-set positions and then held up the enemy advance. The commander of the observers requested the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to deploy to the site again to provide reinforcement. While repelling the attack, a soldier was injured so they requested a MEDEVAC helicopter after giving him first aid. In the last phase of the demonstration the platoon leader asked the local police to take over the arrested civilian and arrest him. The convoy carrying the insurgent leader reached a roadblock on its way. After a short checking, it went around the obstacle and proceeded to a designated police station.

Speaking after the demonstration in the “Stevica Jovanovic" barracks, which is located in the town of Pancevo near Belgrade, Brig.-Gen. Dokica Petrovic, the commander of the Serb 1st Land Force Brigade said that “in the last few days, the soldiers of the two brigades have demonstrated the joint task execution with perfect professionalism. Let me congratulate the participants on the joint work and I would like to express my special respect to the personnel of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade for their activity here."

Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, the commander of the HDF 5th Bocskai István Infantry Brigade said thanks for the organization of the exercise. “Once again, our soldiers have proven that they are ready to execute the joint tasks and that they understand and are able to use the UN procedures. We would like to continue this cooperation in the future because it has proven to be very useful for both sides", he said.