Hungarian soldiers have been serving at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan since August 2011. Drawn from the personnel of the HDF 86th Szolnok Helicopter Base, the rotations of the Mi–17 Air Advisory Team (AAT) train and mentor the helicopter pilots, flight engineers, door gunners and ground crews of the Afghan Air Force in four-month cycles.

Besides carrying out flying and preparatory tasks, the Hungarian soldiers need to participate in several training programs. Last time, they conducted a target practice organized by the Italians.

Target practice in Afghanistan is a bit different from the one at home. It consists of two parts: the first is static execution, where the soldiers take out the targets specified by their instructors while standing and kneeling, and then from behind a table, kicking out a chair. The second, more interesting part is the dynamic execution. It starts with a 100-meter run and ten push-ups. After that, they must hit the target while standing and then from behind a wall and a window. They are to run the distances between the covers. The body armors they wear make their task even more difficult in a heat of 40-plus degrees Celsius.

The latest target practice was successfully executed. The Italian instructors evaluated the Hungarians as excellent.

(SFC Attila Toncseff)