Training for a Mission in Afghanistan

Szöveg: 1st Lt. Andrea Demény | 2012. július 6. 16:20

During the pre-deployment training for the mission in Afghanistan, the personnel of the Tata infantry brigade take every opportunity to rehearse in realistic scenarios for the situations they may encounter in the area of operations. Thus it comes as no surprise to learn that on a recent exercise a number of civilians – namely, residents of the village of Szomód – replaced the usual military role-players to “act out” the role of an Afghan community.

After preliminary discussions with the local government of the village and the director of the nursery school, the soldiers of Tata training for the mission in Afghanistan were assigned the simulated task of mounting a patrol. During this, they had to turn up with 13 motor vehicles and the entire crew of the Humvees in the nursery school and at the major intersections of the settlement.

On arriving in the nursery school, the soldiers searched the building and secured the area. Needless to say, they were being “disturbed" in their work as the children had opportunity to take a close look at their vehicles and talk with them, while making drawings of Hungarian folktales for them.

All this served the purpose of enabling the soldiers to experience – under circumstances as true to life as possible –, the situations they may encounter in Afghanistan, in which they have to watch the unfolding events and the people around them.

Of course, the soldiers arrived in the village with a concrete tasking, as they had to escort a very important person (VIP) to a “handover ceremony". This time the VIP was impersonated by Col. Antal Sipos, the Chief of Staff of the brigade. While surrounded by happy children, the field officer planted a sapling donated by the “Free Air" Public Foundation, which symbolizes the completion of a project in Afghanistan. Afterwards there was a surprise in store for the nursery school, as the Military Trade Union (Honvédszakszervezet) contributed community board games, balls and sandpit toys to make the children’s day a truly memorable experience.

Besides the children of Szomód, the adults were also allowed to watch closely the actions of the soldiers training for the mission in Afghanistan. After the visit to the nursery school, the servicemen went to a playground behind the community house, where they demonstrated how to secure the venue of an event and the VIP to be protected. Ringed by soldiers and local residents, the Chief of Staff the brigade and Mayor József Cellár took up spades to plant a sapling in order to strengthen the good relations between the village and the military unit.