Hungarian “Virtue” Among Kosovan Mountains

Exercise Dragon Fire 2018 was preceded by thorough planning. During the planning phase, the tasks of the two Hungarian infantry companies were coordinated with the work of Austrian and Italian army scouts, so that the airlift and air assault operations were provided by US and Croatian forces.

Before the start of the dayslong training event, the infantry companies got ready for air assault by helicopter, cordon and search operations, building search, mopping up of built-up areas and capturing persons of interest. The exercise provided the battalion staff with opportunity to test its own command and control and reporting system and structure, as well as the available hardware and CIS systems.

The KFOR leaders present at the venue – COMKFOR Maj.-Gen. Salvatore Cuoci and DCOM KFOR Brig.-Gen. János Csombók – witnessed the fast and precise flow of information through the system of command posts.

The commanders also had opportunity to see that after first responder care provided by the combat life savers, the injured receive treatment at a higher level of care, and also the process of their being transported to a medical facility. During the exercise, it was demonstrated that in a short time, all the injured can be professionally airlifted to the new ROLE-1 tent complex that is unique in the Hungarian Defence Forces and is deployed only in the Kosovo area of operations.

During the exercise, the infantry companies, the medical staff and the MTF tent all passed the test and received “excellent" grade from COMKFOR.

Photos: SSgt. Szilveszter Szabados and the author