Territorial Defense Reservists Participate in Marksmanship Training

The Commander of the Area Protection and Combat Support Command of the Hungarian Defense Forces told MTI on Saturday that the training of territorial defense reservists was held at the 5th Bocskai István Rifle Brigade at the Vay Ádám Training Base in Hajdúhadháza (eastern Hungary) over the weekend.

Brigadier General László Drót recalled that the Defense Forces started to build up the area defense reserve system in 2017. In 2023, seven regiments covering the whole country were established, and one area defense reserve battalion is serving in each county, he added.

Drót said that an important principle in the creation of the Territorial Defense Reserve Corps is to recruit, train, and deploy locally. He added that a large-scale reserve recruitment campaign was launched in June last year, because it was felt that the system was ready to build up a larger reserve force.

Over the past period, more than 4,000 reservists have joined the system as a result of this campaign,

Drót emphasized. During the weekend exercise, 102 soldiers from different parts of the country took part in marksmanship training. The brigadier general stressed that

all reservists will undergo basic training within a year of their enlistment, followed by specialized training, such as the current shooting training.

After the training focusing on individual skills, the field defense reservists will be able to carry out unit training, the brigadier general said.

Honvédelem.hu reported that each module of the Territorial Reserve soldiers lasts for 48 hours, where they perform their tasks without a break, not even resting at night. Drót pointed out that during

the final hours of the 48-hour exercise, the personnel must be able to continuously perform the tasks they have learned. This can only be possible if the training includes night training without a break.

Sergeant Major Sándor Reményi, a training soldier of the Antal Vattay 2nd Territorial Protection Regiment told Honvédelem.hu that the personnel are very motivated and that they like to do the tasks of combat training. “They are not in an easy situation, now they have to perform the tasks not with their comrades serving in their own regiment, but with foreign reservists,” highlighted the sergeant major. Sándor Reményi added that the instructors are determined to make the training in marksmanship an experience, because the success of learning new things always motivates all the members of the personnel to be trained.

According to Ildikó Börcsök, reserve sergeant major, it was exciting to get to know the foreign comrades, because in the first hours it is impossible to know how effective the joint work will be. “Every task became more and more difficult, we were able to practice tasks that cannot be done every time. I think I have improved a lot in reacting to a powerful enemy, clearing fighters, and overcoming natural obstacles,” she said, summing up her experience.

Via MTI, Honvédelem.hu; Featured photo via MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt