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Hungarian Defence Forces members compete in Ohio Best Warrior Competition State Best Warrior Competition

Story by Staff Sgt. Chad Menegay, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (03/03/19)

Two members of the Hungarian Defence Forces found themselves in the muddy, wooded hills of Camp Sherman Joint Training Center in southern Ohio recently.

It was because Master Sgt. István Fésűs and Sgt. First Class János Erős of the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) had accepted an offer to participate in the Ohio Army National Guard’s annual Best Warrior Competition in early March, as part of the State Partnership Program pairing between the Ohio National Guard and Hungary.

They won at least one cool prize for their efforts as Fésűs won the event altogether.

“It was a challenging competition for us,” Fésűs said. “Pulling the SKED (transporting a weighted casualty dummy on a sled/skid plastic stretcher that is moved by dragging it across the ground) during the stress shoot event, then having to shoot after that was most difficult for me. I was breathing heavy and trying to keep the weapon stable.”

Fésűs said he has worked with Ohio National Guard Soldiers before in Afghanistan, as part of an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, also known as an OMLT, with Ohio National Guard and HDF members deploying together to train Afghan National Army and police forces.

“Their participation highlights the strong and long-lasting relationship between Hungary and the Ohio National Guard,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel Skinner, an OHNG State Partnership Program coordinator. “This event will help strengthen relationships between our NCO (noncommissioned officer) Corps and demonstrate how the Ohio Army National Guard builds and develops enlisted members through warrior tasks as directed by the state (command) sergeant major.”

Fésűs said he believes that Ohio National Guard Soldiers are very well trained. He has trained with active-duty U.S. Soldiers in the past during previous training exchanges and noticed little difference among National Guard Soldiers and their active counterparts who are allotted much more training time, by comparison.

“These (OHNG) Soldiers are ready for combat. We are (all) soldiers, so we have to be ready all the time to protect our country,” Fésűs said. “I do not see much difference between your full-time guys and the National Guard guys.”