Two companies of recruits have started military basic training

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that the recruits had started the Military Basic Training Program at the HDF 2nd Territorial Defence Regiment in Hajdúhadház and at the HDF 7th Territorial Defence Regiment in Várpalota. During this training, the soldiers strengthen their physical and mental endurance, learn the fundamental military rules and standard operating procedures, and are introduced to weapons and tactics – said the minister of defence, adding that the recruits are going to receive valuable knowledge for a lifetime, as they will acquire confidence and be able to think and act in teams as well as to defend the country.

The minister of defence recalled that the recruitment launched last June with the motto “I love it, I defend it” had been very successful, so much so that the enlistment is going on continuously even after the end of the campaign, and the manpower of the Hungarian Defence Forces has increased by more than 3700 personnel until now. Never have so many people joined the Hungarian Defence Forces in such a short time since Hungary switched to the system of all-volunteer recruitment into the military – emphasized Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

He pointed out that several hundred out of the freshly recruited – approximately 10% of the enlistees – have changed their form of service and continue to serve the homeland as contract soldiers. The flexible training system allows territorial defence reservists to decide to serve on as contract soldiers any time. The minister also added that as a result of the reserve recruitment campaign, there is now a growing interest in the military contract service as well, which shows that the majority of those enlisting now consider the military career path as their vocation.

“Some of them would like to see their childhood dream come true this way, some would like to gain physical and mental strength through the training and an active lifestyle, while some of them have enlisted because of the opportunities offered by the extra scores in higher education” – said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.