5,000 Hungarians join armed forces reserves in past 10 months

The defense minister said the territorial reserve system was a good entry point into the professional ranks, and more than 400 reservists have gone on to become professional or contract soldiers.

Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said more than 5,000 Hungarians have joined the Hungarian armed forces reserves in the past ten months, declaring that “yet a new milestone” had been reached and that “patriotism is indomitable”.

Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky said the numbers proved the success of the army’s campaign to induct reservists as well as the commitment of the Hungarian people, adding that the pace of recruitment was “unprecedented”.

“By mid-January, we reached the four thousand mark, and by April we had already exceeded five thousand…” he said, declaring this a sign of “strengthening cohesion, community responsibility and camaraderie”.

He said the territorial reserve system was a good entry point into the professional ranks, and more than 400 reservists have gone on to become professional or contract soldiers.

Companies that employ reservists receive a “disciplined, confident and motivated workforce” due to their training, he added. Also, employers can claim compensation from the Hungarian armed forces once a reservist is called up, the minister added.