The Military Advisory Team (HDF MAT) is mainly drawn from the personnel of the HDF 5th “Bocskai István” Infantry Brigade, and have been carrying out its tasks at Camp Mike Spann for several months in Afghanistan. The following is an account of the tasks of the contingent for August.

The HDF Military Advisory Team continues to have a busy schedule these days. The almost month-long Islamic feast, Ramadan did not put our soldiers off their work, as the team was performing its tasks with the same persistence and commitment while a lot of events were occurring around them in the recent period – fortunately, in the positive sense of the term. With the end of the feast, the advisors took up the daily round again. The personnel conduct convoy operations day after day, so they can meet the representatives of the Afghans and help the work of security forces with their advice.

The pre-scheduled training sessions for the Afghans started in August too, and the members of the Military Advisory Team did their share in planning, implementing and securing them. Training is going in the right direction for the new 6th battalion (“kandak”, to use the special terminology) of the 3rd brigade of the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP). The Hungarians organized and conducted map-reading, and C-IED training sessions for its members. Besides, they assisted organizing and managing the driver and combat life saver (CLS) courses for the soldiers of the new battalion, while their American comrades provided presenters and assets for the MOS signals training of the brigade.

The advisors also supported the preparation and training of the Afghan Border Police (ABP). The training sessions are going on continuously, so the advisors had to join the “battle line” for the sake of the personnel’s security, and help the work of the guardsmen. Our troops use the few “off duty” days to teach themselves and brush up on their knowledge.

On August 14 the HDF MAT provided a few soldiers of the National Support Element with an opportunity to practice on the range next to the Afghan Camp Saheen to sharpen their marksmanship skills. During the range day, they carried out basic, MOS and special target practices such as the “advisory situational” special target practices or the ones carried out with the use of the SZÉP sniper rifle.

There was time for celebrating in August too. On the day of King Stephen’s canonization, after the ceremonial hoisting of the flag, the personnel held a staff meeting where Col. Zsolt Molnár, the commander of the contingent handed over awards to four Hungarian and two US soldiers, then our troops commemorated the victims of the attack at Chesma Sher in 2010.

It was at the arrival of the pre-deployment site survey (PDSS) team of the 2nd rotation when the handful of Hungarian soldiers living in Camp Mike Spann – amidst the monotony of the tasks, the constant and almost unbearable heat and the day-to-day challenges – could really feel that time was passing by. Almost halfway through the mission, their eyes sparkled at the arrival of the PDSS Team, because this shows that the time they still have ahead of them is less than the time they have already spent here. The designated personnel from the 2nd rotation of the HDF MAT conducting the pre-deployment training informed themselves about the characteristics of the area of operations and the task system, the security situation, and attended operational, reconnaissance, personnel and logistic briefings. They visited the ABP and ANCOP barracks, where they acquainted themselves with the key leaders. They all were given an insight into the day-to-day life of the team and had a taste of the accommodation conditions. The soldiers currently serving in the area of operations did their best to help the planning process needed for the pre-deployment training of the 2nd rotation and its movement to the theatre.

Summer is almost gone in the area of Mazar-e Sharif too, which means that our soldiers had to go forward in different adverse weather conditions, shoulder to shoulder with their American comrades, as it is truly reflected in the motto of the HDF MAT, “One team, one fight”.

(WO Ferenc Csoma)