Foreign Soldiers Complete Explosive Device Training in Hungary

The International Training Division of the Hungarian Defense Forces’ NCO Academy held a course for Belgian and Bosnia-Herzegovina soldiers in July. The Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) – Train the Trainer course was attended by ten participants from each country, reports Honvédelem.hu.

According to the website, the international courses are always an excellent opportunity for Hungarian trainers to learn from foreign students with a different approach, knowledge, and experience, allowing them to update their own knowledge and make the next training sessions more effective.

The visiting soldiers were mostly from the fire service. The multifaceted threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is a necessary tool to learn about their widespread use. Such devices are used not only by terrorist and guerrilla groups, but also by organized crime and poaching networks, and even by regular armies.

Belgium was seeking to revitalize its defense capabilities through training in Hungary, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is incorporating basic NATO procedures into its own courses.

The training was conducted in English, with a mix of theoretical and practical sessions. In addition to planning and organization exercises, training methodology, lecturing, time management, and logistical considerations were also important.

There was a written test, after which each student had to demonstrate their knowledge as a theoretical lecturer and as a practical session leader, thus “re-teaching” their peers the material previously learned. As a conclusion, the participants performed a complex combat exercise in the training area of the Combat Training Base in Csobánka, near Budapest. The students had to use all their knowledge and the joint exercise was concluded with an evaluation.

Featured photo via Honvédelem.hu/Pálfi Flóra