"Hungary has been contributing troops to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan for ten years now. The 90 Hungarian soldiers who have just returned home have fulfilled this commitment on the highest professional level in Afghanistan, meeting international standards", Tamás Vargha said in Budapest on Wednesday, June 18.

The Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence attended a homecoming ceremony of troops returning from Afghanistan and Mali, which was held in the Soroksár St. building of the HDF Military Movement Center.

In addition to the eighth rotations of the HDF National Support Element (NSE), the HDF Logistic Mentor Team (LMT) and the HDF Mi–17 Air Advisory Team (AAT) as well as the second rotation of the HDF Military Advisory Team (MAT), the Hungarian soldiers serving in individual ISAF positions have also returned home recently, having completed their tours of duty in Afghanistan. Besides them, during the homecoming ceremony Tamás Vargha also welcomed the troops returning from the EUTM Mali mission.

The soldiers finishing their mission have done an outstanding job in the fields of in-theatre logistic support, finances, personnel management and operations. In recognition of their efforts, Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Commander, HDF Joint Force Command presented them with tokens of appreciation.

Answering our question, WO József Sarvajcz, who have been serving with the Afghanistan mission told us that “We have learned a lot abroad, and soldiers of other nations learned a lot from us too. The last few months provided us with excellent opportunity to learn lessons. Naturally, I missed my life here at home, my family, my wife, my children and my motorcycle too. It is good to be home again with them."

(Zoltán Kovács)