Quick Response 2 – EUFOR Conducts Combined Training with Bosnian Forces
Szöveg: Lt.-Col. József Egry | 2013. szeptember 17. 9:42Exercise Quick Response 2 officially commenced in Bosnia-Herzegovina on September 3. Its main objective is to conduct integration training with the Intermediate Reserve (IR) forces participating in Operation EUFOR ALTHEA. The exercise will also provide the EUFOR Multinational Battalion (MNBN) with opportunity to practice peace support operations with a company-strong subunit of the armed forces of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Brig.-Gen. József Szpisják, Chief of Staff EUFOR stressed that the exercise demonstrates EUFOR’s commitment to supporting the local security forces, which have the mission of maintaining a safe and secure environment in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In the first phase of the exercise, prior to the official opening, the Slovak and Austrian IR companies deployed to the area of operations. The EUFOR Multinational Battalion currently comprises two permanent infantry companies – a Hungarian and a Turkish one – stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the forces of the Intermediate Reserve are held over the horizon in their home stations, ready to react and deploy to the Balkans country to help the local security forces, should there be a threat to the safe and secure environment.
This mechanism to deploy rapid reaction forces builds on their high training standards and on the success of the most recent exercise in April 2013, which was the first large scale practice of deploying and activating the reserve forces.
During the first week of Exercise Quick Response 2, the Slovak and Austrian IR companies – in a rehearsal of EUFOR contingency planning procedures – will conduct convoy escort, crowd riot control (CRC) tasks, person, area and building searches, evacuate buildings and secure areas in Rajlovac barracks. In the meantime, a company from the 4th infantry brigade of the Bosnian army mentored by a EUFOR training team will hold platoon-level training sessions in Livno.
In the second week of the exercise, the EUFOR Multinational Battalion, reinforced with the Intermediate Reserve units and an infantry company of the local army, will conduct a joint training in Livac and Mostar garrisons. During the exercise, the local police will be supporting the participating forces all along so that they can smoothly execute the tasks related to troop movement.
Exercise Quick Response 2 will be closed on September 12 with a Distinguished Visitors Day (DVD). During this, the Intermediate Reserve companies will execute tasks of peace support operations in close cooperation with a local infantry company, to demonstrate the success of their joint efforts during the exercise.
Photo: EUFOR
