On 20th October 2017 Commander EUFOR, Major General Anton Waldner, along with Brigadier General Ilić, Commander 6th Brigade, AFBiH, presided over the closing ceremony of a combined training package that was designed to increase interoperability between EUFOR and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH).
The combined training has taken place in the area of Pazaric and it has not only tested the soldier’s tactics and skills on the ground but also exercised their ability to operate with helicopters. The training involved a large aviation aspect, with EUFOR providing a Black Hawk and Agusta Bell 212 for the training package. Lieutenant Colonel Dario Pajic from the AFBiH was the exercise director for the combined training and had worked very closely with EUFOR to ensure that the training met the requirements of all parties.
At the closing ceremony Commander EUFOR awarded certificates and his Commanders Coin to members of the AFBiH who had excelled during the training and stood out from the other soldiers. He said: “For any Armed Forces, training and exercises are of highest importance to prepare themselves for possible operations both globally and at home. During this training, the members of the AFBiH have demonstrated their capacity to engage and integrate with EUFOR troops and their ability to carry out activities in the multinational environment of peace support operations, often requiring the rapid deployment of troops. The ability to incorporate EUFOR aviation assets has been exceptionally beneficial in this training package.”
EUFOR Operation ALTHEA, works closely with the MoD, conducting capacity building and training throughout the country to promote a climate where the peace process can continue to move forward. The objective being that AFBiH will operate autonomously without the requirement for international assistance. EUFOR is fully committed to support BiH “on its path to a European future” and remains a vital enabling actor in the development and maintenance of a safe and secure environment. The international peacekeeping force, EUFOR, maintains the capacity to react in any area of Bosnia and Herzegovina to any localised security challenge, and this is why this combined training is so important to EUFOR and the AFBiH.
(Source: eufor, Written by Lt Cdr Jamie Weller)
