Multinational

Transcription

Multinational

C
eVenT
Romanian Army between
facts and results 3
Major General PhD Dan GHICA-RADU
inTerVieW
I trust the aptitude and
responsibility of the Land
Forces personnel 4
interview with Major General
ontents
PhD Dan GHICA-RADU
Lieutenant-Colonel Dragoº ANGHELACHE
translated by Nataniel TRANDAFIR
Publication issued by
the Romanian Land Forces Staff
The ediTorial sTaff
Drumul Taberei Street; No.9-11; sector
6; code 061416; Bucharest; phone:
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+040021 318 53 67 extension 389 fax
+040021 410 36 15
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Lieutenant-Colonel
Dragoº ANGHELACHE
SECRETARY OF
THE EDITORIAL STAFF
Major Adrian CURIMAN
EDITOR
1 Lieutenant
Bogdan RÃDULESCU
st
DTP
Lieutenant-Colonel
Dragoº ANGHELACHE
PROOF READING
Cristina DONCILA
TEXT PROCESSING
Filofteia LINCA
ADMINISTRATION
NCOAdrian IUZIC
inTerneT
Lieutenant-Colonel
Dragoº ANGHELACHE
w w w. r ft . f o r t e r. r o
e-mail: rft@forter.ro
revista_ft@y a h o o . c o m
Cover 1
Tanker
Photo: Lieutenant-colonel
Dragoº ANGHELACHE
Cover 4
Public information officer
Photo: 1st Lieutenant
Bogdan RÃDULESCU
ISSN 1842-3051
B 00516 C 4092/08
Printed by the Technical Editorial Center
of the Romanian Armed Forces
phone: +40021 224 26 34
fax: +40021 224 04 05
Copyright
any copy out of this issue is allowed
and duty free only by indicating the
exact number of publication and its
date of issuing
broTher in arMs
flashback
in land forces
The Romanian militaries
were honored with medals
by the US Army 30
SEEBRIG, a regional
instrument for
cooperation 6
translated by Valerică PICIOREA
translated by Ana-Maria IONICÃ
Military away from
home 32
Graduation exam within
Smârdan firing range 8
Ciprian ANGHELUÞÃ
Major Marian RÃDULESCU
translated by Nicoleta DOROª
Multinational exercise
"Tisa-2009" 10
Supporting our brothers in
arms 34
Major Mihai-Ilie RUSU
translated by Andreea VARTOLOMEI
and major Dan RUJA
On the other side of the
microphone 36
TraininG
Survival in Rânca military
camp 12
1st Lieutenant Andreea POPESCU
alMa MaTer
At the infantry
very beginning 38
Vâlsan, the mountain
troop camp 18
translated by Valerică PICIOREA
1 Lieutenant Andreea POPESCU
st
The way to a European
school 40
TheaTres of
operaTions
Professor Mioara CÎMPAN
A new challenge 22
Major Toni ENE
sporT
FOB Mescal 24
The military highschool
sports summer olympics 42
Captain Ciprian PANGA
Leutenent-Colonel Dragoº ANGHELACHE
“The Sharks" are training
Iraqi military people 26
Mission log at Sharona
28
Major Gabriel PÃTRAªCU
Captain Marius MIHAI
Romanian Land Forces
editorial
Romanian Army
between facts
and results
Major General PhD Dan GHICA-RADU
Romanian Land Forces have the honor to be the
host of The 18th Conference of the European Armies,
which is organized in partnership with USAREUR, in
Sibiu.
The main theme of this important activity is
“Building coalitions through Multinational Training".
Multinational training is the main engine for the
soldiers from different countries to interact in almost all
points of view: cultural, social, procedural and doctrinal.
The capability of interfering in crises situations,
the adaptability and interoperability among the soldiers
from the European states and also the achievement of
a modern and professional army, deployable, adequate equipped, are the main goal for every country.
The process of transformation of each army
involves, also, the modernization of the training system
and multinational exercises, which are a very efficient
method to achieve this goal.
The commitments which Romania had assumed
mean, most of all, the involvement in the overseas operations of which purposes are to diminish the risks and
the major threats to national and international security.
This year’s edition of The Conference of the
European Armies, known as CEA 2010, has a main purpose to identify new ways on how to train at a multinational level, and also encourage the attendees to share
ideas and experience with each other.
Romanian Land Forces are involved in all the
overseas operations with approximately 1,600 soldiers.
Romanian troops together with all the other soldiers
from different nations conduct their missions in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Balkans. Operationally and procedurally we are partners with all the nations who are following the same objectives,.
With this occasion we address our best thoughts
to all the participants for the honor to accept our invitation of attendance. n
Nr. 1 l 2010
3
interview
I trust the
aptitude and
responsibility of
the Land Forces
personnel
Interview with the Chief of the Land Forces Staff,
Major General PhD Dan Ghica Radu
— General, after a brief period of absence, you came back in the
Land Forces, but this time in charge of them. What objectives have you
established now, at the beginning of this new road?
— I am very honored to be back with the Land Forces after some
stages in which different commanders of a high professional and intellectual standard have left their mark. Even if we go through a more difficult period, along with the entire society to which we belong, I will act, through teamwork, towards achieving the planned and deliberated, in order to continue
the modernization process of the Land Forces according to the guidelines
established by the General Staff. The Land Forces together with the other
force categories will maintain and develop the place and role in the present
dynamic of our army and the Alliance, basing itself on a medium and long
term realistic analysis. For this we will permanently adapt the exploit strategy of the human, material and financial resources, with the stress on training, order, discipline, promoting value and endorsing the balanced, coherent constructive initiative.
I trust the quality of the command act, the aptitude and responsibility of the Land Forces personnel and I am sure that, together, we will achieve
the planned objectives.
— General, last year the second stage of the Romanian Army renovation strategy started, the phase of the full operational integration into NATO
and the European Union – the 2008-2015 period. What are the implications
for the Land Forces this year?
— The operationalization process has the purpose of increasing the
combat capability of our structures taking into account the NATO operational tactics, technology, procedures and standards. Thus, we will continue
the process of shaping, specializing and perfecting the professional training
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Land Forces
www.rft.forter.ro
interview
for both our active and reserve military personnel, according to
the military operational standards and professional patterns.
Also, we have to improve the content of the documents concerned with organizing, planning, leading and controlling the
military education, not to forget about our attention towards
improving the methodical and specialty training of the instructors in the military education institutions. In what concerns the
resource distribution, the forces at NATO disposal and deployable forces in general have priority, but without neglecting the
other structures, which have also been supplied with resources,
only in a smaller amount. All these mean a plus in capability
not only regarding the equipment and technology of which all
military installations within these structures should benefit from,
but also from the point of view of supplying the qualified
human resource and of course ensuring its continuous training.
It is very important to maintain and strengthen our training
credibility and capacity of common, integrated action, especially within the multinational structures in order to fulfill the
missions we have.
— Does the Land Forces education system cover the professional personnel training needs?
— I think, overall, it covers the training needs of the
enlisted volunteers. The system was judiciously organized, and
as proof the enlisted volunteers undertake all the training
stages – whether or not they have accomplished their compulsory military service – and after that they opt for the military
career. Also, we are thinking about an improvement in the
developing process of the young personnel. For example, start-
Nr. 1 l 2010
ing this academic year, in the Land Forces Academy, the military training of the first year students is not condensed in one
module at the beginning of the year, but is distributed throughout it.
— General, taking into account the fact that your interview will be issued around the Anniversary of the Land Forces,
please address a few words to our brothers in arms.
— Beyond the festive cheerful character of the celebration, the Anniversary of the Land Forces represents a moment
to commemorate and honor the deeds of our predecessors,
and this doesn’t mean only the formal moments in which we lay
wreaths at different monuments. It is necessary that their sacrifices become an impulse for us in serving our country, wherever we are and whatever position we may have at a certain
moment. Coming back to the present moment, I would like to
emphasize that our military personnel is permanently appreciated by the high foreign officials for its training and professionalism, and this comes from the point of view of a person who
has been assigned to a series of positions with a high level of
responsibility within the operation theaters and who has had
contacts with this kind of officials. This is why I am always
proud of being a part of / belonging to the most important category of force of the Romanian Army, the Land Forces. I would
like to add that my thoughts are with our brothers in arms who
are far from home, on international missions or in theaters of
operation and also to congratulate the entire personnel of the
Land Forces for the flawless manner in which they carry out
their military and civilian duties. n
5
flashback in land forces
SEEBRIG,
a regional
instrument
for cooperation
Interview with the commander of the South-East European
Brigade, PhD Brigadier General Virgil BÃLÃCEANU
— This year, on the 31st of August, SEEBRIG will be celebrating ten years of existence. How do you see the brigade's
development during this period?
— The brigade's development can be appreciated during
these ten years within a large spectrum describable through the
expectation horizon from desire to accomplishment and it can
be considered that the accomplishments are even beyond the
desires, and thus, SEEBRIG has become a very convincing
regional instrument regarding the political military cooperation
6
Land Forces
among the nations participant to the initiative. The Brigade is
much more than it was in 1999, and the gained experience can
be understood through its consolidation and maturity, an eloquent example, and not only, being the mission performed in the
operational theater in Afghanistan in 2006. Extremely important is now the future that the Brigade can have starting from the
level and capabilities acquired and proven.
— Can we talk about an important role played by the
brigade in the south-east part of Europe?
Which are the missions that the brigade
can perform at this date?
— I think that the best proof regarding the brigade's importance in the southeast part of Europe is shown by the fact
that new states, and we have the example
of Ukraine and Bosnia-Herzegovina, want
to become members with full rights or
observation members of the Multinational
Force of peace maintaining within the
south-east part of Europe. The brigade's
missions are focused mainly on peace
maintaining operations, as we have previously mentioned, the brigade’s commandment was deployed to Afghanistan in
2006 and this proves the deployment
capabilities, even outside the responsibility area understood in the south-east part
of Europe, but as a secondary mission,
SEEBRIG is and will be focused also on
operations of assistance when natural and
artificial disasters, especially on the territory of member states. It is an actual prob-
www.rft.forter.ro
lem and the international seminar that we organized in
May had as objective precisely this problem. I personally declare myself very satisfied with the level of cohesion and training of the commandment, if we also take
into account the result evaluation of the "SEVEN STARS
2008" exercise. The exercise emphasized not only the
skills when working at land forces level according to
NATO standards, but also deployment capabilities,
especially regarding the use of professional communication and IT systems, such as the communication via
satellite and the
leap frequency short wave radio
posts. Of course that there are projects regarding capability improvement and I hope that the "SEVEN STARS
2010" exercise, if carried out as we are presently thinking, will confirm the new capabilities. And we should not
forget that the land forces commandment was also
involved in the exclusively military analysis of two possible missions for the brigade, which allowed our selfassessment, and represented a "sum" of identified lessons such
as: Kabul mission, "SEVEN STARS" exercise, and the analysis of
the two missions.
— Of course that every state has contributed to the
brigade's development and welfare. How has our country contributed in this direction?
— Our country's contribution can be best expressed by the
appreciations that "the hardened veterans", that is the
SEEBRIG personnel of the brigade's commandment from 2007,
had for Romania the period when the commandment was
deployed to Constanta. I felt that the appreciations came from the
heart, making me proud of what we, the Romanians, can prove as
military and as host-nation. But beyond the affective aspects, that
should never be forgotten, we should emphasize Romania's contribution
to
SEEBRIG
as
part
of
the
ideal
SEEBRIG had when it had been founded and which turned into
reality, meaning the deployment of the brigade's commandment
within an operational theater. Not only during the period when
Romania had the presidency of the Political-military Director
Board and also of the meetings of the Defense Ministers in the
south-east part of Europe between 2001-2003, but also during
the instruction time of the mission, Romania held an essential role
due to its position as host-nation, to the availability of the two
assisting components, the transmission and land forces company
and the training process for deployment, the performing of the
mission and commandment redeployment. For SEEBRIG, Romania
is the nation that believes in and supports its cause, because even
after the mission's performance, the decisions made by the
National Defense Ministry and by the Land Forces Chief reflect
the special attention offered to SEEBRIG by Romania."
— You are the first Romanian commanding the brigade.
What does it mean to run a multinational organization such as
SEEBRIG?
— I am sure that everyone feels a real challenge when
working in a multinational environment, because they present
not only themselves, but also the nation they belong to. After all,
the leading principles and methods are the same, gained
through the education, training and experience that we have
acquired as Romanian military and it is my duty of honor to
thank all my trainers and commanders who have instructed me
Nr. 1 l 2010
and assigned me with such a mission. There is also a different
challenge, that you don't encounter by commanding national
structures, and that is the multicultural challenge which
undoubtly enriches you and offers a great feeling of interior satisfaction."
— This summer you are going to pass on the brigade's
command. What has this experience meant for you?
— A life deep professional experience, a sum of my work
during the command of two national brigades, as I am now
approaching the end of the third challenge - an international
brigade. I have learnt a lot and, if I may add, I have also offered
much advice, this is for my colleagues and subordinates to say."
— General, you are one of the commanders who have
always known how to correct and open relation with the media,
whether civilian or military. Considering the fact that this interview will be printed around Military Press Day, we are asking
you to tell us how you see the role of this institution within the
military system?
— Thank you for your appreciation and I would like to
quote as an idea and not word by word what a participant to
the seminar organized by SEEBRIG in May said about assistance to artificial and natural disasters, previously reminded,
considered justified: that besides the three pillars of power within a state - the legislative, the executive and the juridical one we should also take into account the fourth one - MEDIA. I can
only congratulate you and wish "Happy birthday!" to the military press! Also, if it is not too much, I would also like to suggest
a few ways to improve its role. And I would like to refer here to
the consonance with the institution's problems, without forgetting its people; justified assessment of the actual status and thus,
the informing of the military audience for acknowledgement and
guidance; avoiding the clichés, the stereotypes and the patterns.
Being as an echo, a mirror of the military institution that shows
us just as we are, even with our flaws, the military press can have
an advantage to the civilian one as it is, if you want, the expression of our feelings as military and humans.
In the end, I would like to remind just how important my
family has been within the SEEBRIG family and how important
have been my Romanian colleagues from SEEBRIG regarding
consolidation of the Romanian Army’s professionalism. n
7
Graduation exam
within Smârdan
firing range
Major Marian RÃDULESCU
W
ithin Smârdan firing
range in Galaþi
County, the students
in “Mihai
Viteazul"
8
Land Forces
Application School for Combat
Units carried out tactical live fire
exercises.
During December 4-12 this
year, more than 150 student offi-
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cers in “Mihai Viteazul" Application
School for Combat Units will participate in the training camp at
Smârdan firing range in Galaþi
County, in order to take their graduation exams of officer training courses – indirect branch – and of basic
officer courses within the training
centers subordinated to the school in
Pitesti.
The training program consists
of carrying out firing sessions, tactical live fire exercises with the crew
and platoon, tactical field training
exercises with the crew, platoon,
company, combat vehicle driving
exercises, according to NATO con-
Nr. 1 l 2010
cepts about training.
The aim of the activities is to
develop the students’ ability to analyze, estimate and decide while performing the current operations in real
battlefield conditions; to improve the
skills of organizing training and leading platoon in battle; to assess the
students’ proficiency at the end of the
courses so that to execute the duties
of a platoon commander.
In the same time, it is being
considered to amend the headquarters’ aptitude for organizing, performing, leading and assessing the
education and instruction activities in
accordance with NATO military stan-
dards, in terms of training and leading military operations at tactical
level.
Students
from
Armour,
Engineers,
Infantry,
Mountain
Troops, Reconnaissance as well as
senior staff, subunit commanders and
instructors from the school and from
the training centers take part in the
exercises.
On December 8, 2008 demonstrative combat firing sessions
took place with weapons from the
existing combat technique, also tactical live fire exercises were carried out
by the students in Tank and Vehicle
Training center in Pitesti.n
9
Multinational
exercise
"Tisa-2009"
Major Mihai-Ilie RUSU and major Dan RUJA
M
ultinational exercise “Tisa-2009" was held
between 12-15 of May, in Novi Sad, Serbia,
within the barracks of the Serbian Army River
Flotilla. The barracks of the Flotilla also represented the place
where the opening ceremony took place and it was led by L7
Serbian Land Forces Chief, Colonel Zvonco Stolovic, where all
the members of the Serbian, Romanian and Hungarian military
deputations gathered.
The exercise consisted of a commandment component
and a practical demonstration regarding the intervention possibilities of the engineers during flooding periods. The theme of
the exercise and the incidents that the participants had to handle were developed based on a real situation from 2006, during the period when the Serbian Basin of the Tisa River was
flooded.
On the 14th of May, on the occasion of the Distinguished
Visitors’ Day, a demonstrative exercise was presented by the
engineers of the Serbian Army River Flotilla. There were many
military attaches from Serbia that took part in the activity and
also official personalities such as: The Land Forces Chief of the
Serbian Army, General Lieutenant Miloje Miletie; The Land
10
Land Forces
Forces Chief of the Hungarian Army, General Laszlo Tombol;
The Land Forces Chief of the Romanian Army, Major General
Dan Ghica-Radu. The demonstrative exercise was carried out
at the confluence of Tisa and Bega rivers, in Titel town and it
consisted of two parts.
The dynamic part focused on the missions that can be
performed by the engineers of the Serbian army and on the
equipment that they had during the innervations meant to
diminish the flood effects. The exercise was followed by all participants from the board of KOZARA protocol ship and it
referred to all the missions that can be performed by the engineers of the Serbian Army River Flotilla: mine sweeping activity; victim salvation/evacuation, techniques and materials;
bridge crossing and deck assembly; pier and roads building
(rebuilding); flooded area draining. The demonstrative exercise
also involved the local authorities from Titel and the Serbian
Red Cross.
The static part–involved the exhibition of the technical
devices that can be found at the Serbian Army River Flotilla
previously presented and the main equipments shown were:
underwater detections by means of sonar, pneumatic ships,
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propeller, amphibious carriers for technique and equipment, equipments used
in order to realize the crossing points
on bridges, technique used for road
building.
At the end of the exercise, the
personalities that were present there
made some declarations for the Serbian
newspapers. The Land Forces Chief of
the Serbian Army, Lieutenant General
Miloje Miletie, underlined that the exercise implied participation of more than
300 military and representatives of
Vojvodina Independent Province, of
Serbian Red Cross and of Titel town. He
also added that, according to the
defense and security documents, the
Nr. 1 l 2010
army had the mission to take part to the
collective effort of preventing and eliminating all means of threats, including the
natural ones. General Miletie also
added that “this exercise was a good
opportunity, including for the colleagues
in Hungary and Romania, in order to
check training of those three armies so
as to carry out the strategic missions.
2009 Tisa Exercise represented a part of
the mutual and coordinated activities of
the three armies in order to take action in
the case of the danger presented by
floods".
The Land Forces Chief of the
Hungarian Army, General Laszlo
Tombol, declared that the engineer mili-
tary units of the three armies had had
cooperative relations for many years. He
also added that the floods in 2006 had
confirmed the necessity of a quick and
common reaction of the authorities of
the three countries. Next, he thanked the
Serbian military and the other participants to the exercise for the training and
professionalism that they had had
shown.
The Land Forces Chief of the
Romanian Army, PhD Major-General
Ghica Radu declared: “The three countries have similar problems and it is necessary that their armed forces contribute
to building improving the reliability within
these common military exercises". n
11
Training
Survival
in Rânca
military camp
At
the beginning of May, a reece platoon belonging to the 20 Infantry
Battalion “The Black Scorpions"
from Craiova was deployed to Ranca military camp and
between the 4th and 8th of May, they had an instruction
exercise in the forests of Parang Mountains.
Last week there was a real survival test at Ranca
military camp for the military in Craiova. The weather
was moody, it drizzled every day and the temerature
was extremely low at the altitude of 1,650 m in Ranca.
12
Land Forces
The military camp is – for those courage enough
to walk through the difficult road to Ranca – a real survival test. Some days the electricity is cut off, there is
hardly any heat in the cold rooms of the cabin, warm
water is only in the kettle on the stove, but for the
scouts, the difficult conditions mean real instruction.
The reece platoon made up of 14 military and led
by 2nd Lieutenant Ciprian Tudor exercised, in the mountain camp, living under isolating conditions, survival and
field applications: ambush, specialty tactics, topography lessons and joint activities with the local mountain
rescuers.
It is well-known that the military belonging to the
20 Infantry Battalion have carried out
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missions in the operation theaters and that
“The Black Scorpions"
are experienced soldiers. It is the experience of his subordinates that the platoon
commander relied on,
that is 2nd Lieutenant
Ciprian Tudor, who
graduated The Land
Forces Academy in
2008. He presented
himself at the 20
Infantry Battalion two
weeks before the beginning of the mountain
camp and he took
under his order the
reece platoon, the
instruction books and
he received and gave
orders as a platoon
commander. 2 nd Lieu tenant Tudor confessed
that “it was better as a
subordinate, I just waited to receive orders
and carried them out.
Now it’s more difficult
because it’s me who has
to give orders. I don’t
know how to talk to
every person in the platoon as some are older
than me and during the
school period I was
taught to respect everything especially as all
the others were superior to me." He chose to
follow the reece specialty because there
had been some vacant posts and
the place of the assignment was
closer to home, that is Pitesti. The
fears regarding his military career
make him hope to become at least a
major, the same rank that his father
had when he retired.
2nd Lieutenant Tudor relies on
his people. He knows that they have
experience and for the time being
he is learning from them. I asked
him if the present reality resembled
Nr. 1 l 2010
his dreams from school. His answer
was a predictible one: “He that reckons without his host, must reckon
again", but he is still enthusiastic
and he feels good, anyway “I’m still
in school because I have a lot to
learn and the camp is a good
opportunity to get to know my platoon", 2nd lietenant also added.
Staff sergeant Valericã Pãtra
is the reliable man of the platoon
commander and sergeant Vladu
Iancu and corporals Teodor Samfira
and Marius Bãluþã are just a few of
the experienced military persons
who know very well their job as
scouts. They set up three types of
shelters: conical one, under a fallen
tree, at the trunk of a tree, one
made up of branches; five types of
fire: grill, inclined, outlaw-like, for
muddy ground, burried. Their
trainees were the volunteers Ionuþ
Nicolae and Teodor Tare, the first
13
having been a military for a few months, and the latter
having just been assigned some short time ago to
14
Land Forces
Craiova garrison.
Everybody told me that they got along very
well with their commander and they hoped he would
remain in the platoon for a longer period of time,
because the others before him had been quickly promoted from this position because “the reece platoon
is a launching opportunity".
The relationship between the military scouts and
Rânca mountain rescue unit is an old and lasting one
that started a few years ago when they had some
joint actions during the winter period when the danger was higher. Ever since they have kept in touch
and in every season, whether winter or summer, they
have had joint actions. In this camp, in May, the military from Craiova cooperated with Carlos Taºcãu,
the representative of the mountain rescue unit in
Gorj that operates within Parâng-Rânca area with
mountain rescue actions. They shared and
exchanged knowledge and the military scouts
showed some survival techniques and the mountain
rescuer Carlos Taºcãu presented types of safety
knots, a very simple but efficient assurance that is
resistent to great weight and can be realised by a
single person. Also, the military and the mountain
rescuer performed transportation of a wounded person in a accidental area. n
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Training
Foto: Plt.adj. Cristian SURUGIU
Nr. 1 l 2010
15
Vâlsan, the moun
Photo: NCO Cristian SURUGIU
tain troop camp
Between the 4th and 13th of February, the military of the Posada Mountain Troop 33 Battalion
of Curtea de Arges organized a mountain
instruction camp in the Valsan area.
Training
Vâlsan,
the mountain
troop camp
the end of Bradetu village, where
civilization stops and the mountain
begins, the road gets narrow and
winds along Valsan River towards the heart of
Fãgãraº Mountains. And when you get benumbed
because of the cold and thick air, the glade of Valsan
valley is visible and also are the military cabins
whose chimneys are smoking waiting for the military
gone to instruction.
Connection with exterior is kept only through
Falcon radio station and the two mountain troop
campaigns and a reconnaissance platoon carrying
out missions within the areas neighboring the camp
communicate through portable radio stations.
For the approximately 140 military deployed
to Valsan, the days spent in the camp pass very
quickly due to the huge amount of knowledge that
needs to be assimilated by the end of the assessment
period, when everyone is supposed to get the necessary qualification. The missions that need to be carried out during the camp instruction are well-known
At
18
Land Forces
by the mountain troops in Arges; many carried them
out in the operation theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Captain Ciprian Cãlþosu, the commander of Second
compaign Mountain Troop, says about his subordinates that “they performed very well, you can see the
group cohesion as we have been working together
since 2003. I trust to go with them on any mission."
The two mountain troop compaigns and the
reconnaissance platoon deployed to Vâlsan are in
the camp just during the meals and resting times,
because they spend the rest of their time carrying out
missions in the neighbouring areas and in the firing
range. I have noticed the mountain troops during an
FTX platoon exercise, more exactly, defending an
assistance point. The complexity of the mission
involved 110 military and four armoured personnel
carriers (APCs). Captain Ciprian Cãlþosu coordinated his men observing their every move, in order to
correct their mistakes. At the second company, the
captain has under his order 10 volunteer ranked soldiers that have been in the army for only a few
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Training
months, but based on the training in
the camp, they gain experience for
the foreign missions that will be
assigned to the battalion.
Private Constantin Diþã is
among one of those who have chosen the career as a volunteer soldier
for a few months and he sustains his
choice with the certainty of the working place offered by the army and
the hope to make a career. “I want to
get as high as possible, to become
an officer", he says. The degree from
the Faculty of Finance, that he has,
justifies his desire to become an officer, for the time being, private
Constantin Diþã is servant 1 at 82
mm mortar. His platoon colleague,
private Rãzvan Lupu, is servant 3 at
AG9, practised football fot 10 years
but when he realised that the degree
got from the Sport and Phisical
Training National Academy didn’t
help him get a job, he decided to
20
Land Forces
choose the army.
The reconnaissance platoon
commanded by captain Ion Udroiu
performs in an area close to the
camp, carrying out reconnaissance
missions and living under isolating
conditions. In order to accomplish
the mission objective, they first chose
a department and after that they
assured its safety. They organized
several observation posts hidden in
the field and after that they moved
on to working in a department, creating several improvised means for
cooking, heating , clothes drying
and water-filtering. They built improvised shelters, they set up the mountaineer’s tent and put traps for animals.
Staff Sergeant Dumitru Dogaru
presented us a series of disposals for
cooking, heating and drying that are
specific to scouts: wooden block,
metal box, the outlaw model (the
best firing method for food preparing, light and clothes drying), the
dam model, slope fire model with
self-feeder, cross or star model, grill
model. These fire types are used in
isolated missions, for reconnaissance
and enemy observation, and they
are set up in establishments from
where teams start searching the
area.
Staff Sergeant Paul Constantinescu, responsible with setting the
improvised shelters for the personnel
resting time, has presented us the
shelter with one ground sheet, two
ground sheets, from a fallen fir
branch etc.
Private Rãzvan Florin, responsible with setting the traps for animals, installed on the pathway with
the help of his colleagues a counterweight trap for animals, a stake trap
for animals and a trap for small animals climbing the trees. n
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Training
Nr. 1 l 2010
21
Theatre areas of operations
A new
challenge
Interview with the Romanian senior representative within
Iraq coalition, brigadier general Cãtãlin Tomescu
Major Toni ENE
tarting with 2007, Romania has had
appointed a general within Multinational
Iraq Force. This position was filled, in turns,
by the following generals: Dan Ghica Radu, Visarion
Neagoe, Gabriel Gabor, Mihai Chiriþã. Presently,
brigadier general Cãtãlin Tomescu
has been appointed on this
position.
After a career
in which he has pursued step by step the
military hierarchy up
to
brigade
level,
brigadier
general
Cãtãlin Tomescu, the
commander in chief
of the 282nd
Infantry Brigade
“The Union of
S
Principates", has been assigned, starting with December
10th 2008, the national senior representative of
Romania function within Iraq coalition.
For six months, the Romanian general, seconded
by two staff officers, will carry out this mission within the
Headquarters, filling the position of the Deputy
Coalition Director for Strategies, Planning and
Assessment.
— General, what does this new mission mean to you?
— First, it signifies the peak of our work up to the
present. The challenge to work at a such level, side by
side with the representatives of the multinational force,
was accepted without hesitation. Before going on this
mission, I had a certain perception on the military phenomenon within the Iraqi operation theatres, but on
arriving here I have noticed that there are elements
which you cannot anticipate until you face reality. I must
underline that I have benefited and I benefit special circumstances – the period along which I perform my
duties being marked by unique events within this theatre. Most certainly, my mission in Iraq will be a reference point in my career and the experience I will have
achieved here will significantly influence the way the
military phenomenon is approached in the future."
— You were in Baghdad during the negotiations
held to establish the status quo of Romanian troops
22
Land Forces
www.rft.forter.ro
after December 31st 2008. What
did these negotiations consist of?
— Probably when this article is
printed, the negotiations will have
been concluded. These negotiations have been held in order to
ensure the legal base of the
Romanian – Iraqi bilateral relations,
regarding the continuity of
Romanian troops’ presence on the
territory of this country, and defining the missions which our forces
are to carry out. I would like to
underline that it was an unique
experience, and the government
level constituted team was an
exceptional one, both regarding its
structure and its competence, and
consequently the memorandum was
finalized in a relatively short time. I
am honored to have met these people, and I confess that, for as long
as we were together, I had the possibility of learning many specific
things to this kind of activity.
— General, can you make
assumptions regarding the situation
in Iraq in the near future – and I’m
referring to the new types of missions which the Romanian battalion
will carry out?
— Essentially, the missions will
not change, they are just actualized. Thus, the priority will be the
missions to train, support and counsel the Iraqi Army as well as the
humanitarian and reconstruction
ones, actions through which the
coalition finances local development projects, ranging from infrastructure works to help starting new
business. Both our medical teams
will continue to work with the
American military in special medical
clinics, providing medical assistance
for those in need. I hope that also
the activity of the Romanian staff
officers, although it is not easy to be
observed compared to bilateral
direct activities, will not remain
unnoticed. I estimate that our military will successfully rise up to the
present requirements. Let us not for-
Nr. 1 l 2010
get that we also had undergone a
partnership program with NATO
before becoming members of this
organization and we have a vast
work experience within multinational frame at all structures level. This
experience will help us accomplish
our common missions with the
young Iraqi Army under the best circumstances
— How important are the
humanitarian missions and how do
they influence the safety in the operation area or the Romanian military
safety?
— The Romanian military
cooperation with the locals is very
important, because, as they say,
ensures the peace in the area. Our
battalion has a relatively wide
responsibility area of 1,400 square
kilometers. There are three important Shia tribes in the region: alBadur, al-Husseinat and alGhizzye. Romanian military have
facilitated civilian rebuilding projects on the territory of these tribes.
All Romanian military have offered
help to the locals, actions of this
kind having been performed during
the last six months. It is natural that
this type of activities, by which the
civilian population becomes the
beneficiary of some utilities destined
to improve the living standard,
diminish and eliminate hostile reactions.
The locals within the
Romanian operation area don’t
have bad intentions towards us,
they are quite friendly, and the fact
that we patrol the area of responsibility ensures a safety climate for
them. We have also undergone
tough times and I think we can
understand the community’s necessity of calm and safety, a community that was damaged by the war
and that is now trying to take the
first steps to regain its own identity,
to obtain a climate of safety and
welfare to which they are entitled by
human and material resources.
The friendly behavior of our
military contributes to the creation
of a calm environment, but they
must remain resolute and alert
while carrying out any kind of mission. The procedures specific to
force protection must be considered and followed, even when taking part in the humanitarian aid dispatch. Our military people lives are
far too important to be lost to carelessness. There are still hostile elements that make us aware of their
presence on the Iraqi territory, and
must take all safety measures in
order not to become victims of their
actions. In my opinion, the mission
ends when they are in the plane
which takes them to Constanta, and
they cannot be caught off-guard
until then.
— General, everyday you contact coalition military; what is their
perception on Romanian military?
— From the beginning of this
mission Romania has been and still
is a reliable partner within the Iraq
coalition, situation repeatedly highlighted by the American allies.
General David Petreus, Chief of
Central American Commandment
for Iraq and Afghanistan, who took
part at the end of the year in an
informal meeting with the military on
Tallil base, said:
— I don’t want to sound rhetorical, but I’m very proud of the contribution of Romanian military to set a
safety and stability climate within
the operation area", and I think
these words comprise all. The invitation sent to our country by the Iraqi
state, to perform missions inside the
limited coalition, proves that the
professionalism and the working
method of Romanian military was
also accepted by the new leaders in
Baghdad. Personally, during the
meetings with the Iraqi military leaders, I was thanked on their behalf for
the flawless manner in which our military have fulfilled their specific
assignments." n
23
FOB
Mescal
Captain Ciprian PANGA
hort after the beginning of the mission, the battalion commander together with the American partners and RCS commander decided to set up a new
FOB in Tarnak Wa Jaldak.
In Tarnak Wa Jaldak district, the number of the incidents
generated by the rebels was very high; the local population did
not feel protected by the coalition forces thus nobody trusted
the military. 1st Company quickly took over the missions in the
district and one of the main objectives was to gain local population’s confidence. It might appear strange to you that in such
a confrontation with the insurgents whose purpose was to attack
and cause damages to the coalition forces, one of our missions
S
24
Land Forces
was to grow on the natives, but they did have an important role
in the actions. The biggest problem of the area was the fact that
insurgents’ main infiltration and exfiltration routes crossed the
district, and the distance between the base where Romanian soldiers were and the dangerous area was very long, which limited
their actions due to the long reaction time in case of an incident.
This was how FOB Mescal was born.
Why Mescal?
Once the Black Vipers arrived on Lagman base in Zabul
province we met Maj. Mescal, the Temporary Command and
Control Team’s operation second-in-command, a thin,
medium-height guy, with an outstanding professional
training, who was in charge of the operations that
were being performed in Zabul province by the
American and Romanian soldiers. During the conversations, the Black Vipers commander underlined that
setting up this FOB in Tarnak Wa Jaldak district was
considered necessary. As soon as the technical
details were established, it was required that a reconnaissance mission be carried out, and on January 9,
2009 it was settled that soldiers from the 21st
Maneuver Battalion together with Maj. Mescal go to
the respective zone, with an American patrol team.
On the way from FOB Lagman to Tarnak Wa Jaldak,
the vehicle in which Maj. Brian Mescal was, passed
over an explosive device, Maj. Mescal losing his life.
To commemorate the AMERICAN SOLDIER who sacrificed his life in order that the Afghan people live
their life in peace, it was decided that the name of the
new FOB be Mescal.
Not long was it until the works were to begin,
so we supplied all the materials necessary for the first
part of the project. The help we got from the coalition
partners was really useful as in no time they managed
to bring the most part of the needed materials for the
new FOB on the base.
www.rft.forter.ro
After performing reconnaissance
missions and establishing contacts with
the coalition partners, on April 21st, the
military from 1st Company moved to the
specified location and went on to organize the new FOB.
1st Company patrols reached the
location of the new FOB and started
planning the beginning of the works.
Some of the military were responsible
with the protection plans, and the others
got to work. The first thing to be done was
assembling the now famous HESCO
around the base to protect against insurgents’ attacks and to assure physical
safety of the personnel in charge of building the FOB. In one day the Romanian
military placed the hesco around the
base and put up several tents intended
for relaxation. At night some military rested while being protected by their colleagues – an absolutely normal measure
on an operation theatre, especially where
threats are something ordinary. All the
works for this new FOB took place in such
conditions. It was extremely difficult
because while the Black Vipers were
being stationed at the new FOB the rest
time was very short, the living conditions
were poor, but with a strong will and a
strict program organization the new FBO
became real.
Nevertheless, meritorious are all
the military who contributed to the construction of this base, no matter if they
Nr. 1 l 2010
worked day after day under the torrid
Afghan sun, or if they escorted the convoys with materials, or if they assured the
protection.
Life on a forward base
Soon, FOB MESCAL looked like a
permanent base, from where the coalition
military could perform their missions in
Tarnak Wa Jaldak district, but this did not
please the ones on the other side of the
barricades, that is, the insurgents who
were aware of the fact that the Black
Vipers and the coalition military from this
new FOB confound them. I mentioned
that because one of
the many freezing
nights the Black
Vipers spent in FOB
MESCAL, they were attacked by a
group of about 20
insurgents, with AG
7 and light infantry
weaponry. It may
seem like a movie
scene, but that
night, at the sound
of the first gunshot
and of the rebels’
well-known battle
call ALAHU AKBAR
(Allah is great),
without hesitating
all military on the base did what they
best knew: grabbed the weapons held at
an arm’s length and fought back. The
Black Vipers’ firepower made the insurgents withdraw without giving up the
fight, though. The firefight lasted for
about two hours. Realizing that they will
not be victorious with such attacks, the
insurgents went on to set up improvised
explosive devices, but this plan was also
sabotaged by the Black Vipers, who discovered them during the patrol missions,
the American EOD team detonating
them later.
There was peace around FOB
later, so the battalion’s military priest
together with several military built a
shrine and blessed it the same moment
when FOB MESCAL was inaugurated.
Col. Gheorghe Vãtãmanu-Coanta – the
Temporary Command and Control
Team’s commander, LTC Florin Stan – 21st
Maneouver Battalion’s commander, and
last but not least, Maj. Gregory Canata –
Maj. Mescal’s successor, the Temporary
Command and Control Team’s operation
second-in-command participated in the
opening activities.
One thing is certain: what the
Black Vipers have built in Tarnak Wa
Jaldak district represents a big impediment in the insurgents’ actions, but in the
same time it is a huge responsibility for 1st
Company Black Vipers who, until their
assignment ends, will have to maintain
the natives’ confidence in the coalition
forces, by performing some of the most
difficult missions that Romanian military
have in Afghanistan: patrolling mission to
catch and neutralize insurgents’ in Tarnak
Wa Jaldak district. n
“The Sharks"
are training Iraqi
military people
Major Gabriel PÃTRAªCU
S
tarting
with the
30th of
October, “The White
Sharks" Battalion has
started training Iraqi
military that are part of
the 10 Iraqi Division battalion, carrying out the
pre-given tasks at the
same time.
The military training will be part of a 10
week module on infantry and artillery. There is
a various range of activities based on engineered, medical and
tactical training, military
physical training, firing
range practice, NBC
training and attending
to an English language
course. At the end of the
training module the
Iraqi military will take a
test for checking the
accomplished level.
“The White Sharks"
Commander, LTC PhD
Vasile Vreme said: “We
26
Land Forces
of the
Iraqi
milit a r y
and I
fully
trust
the soldiers’
professionali s m
w h o
w i l l
p l a y
t h e
instructors’
part. It
will be
a challengi n g
period
are honored to be
involved in the training
and we have to handle it responsibly."
Lieutenant Colonel Thafear Habeab, Commander
of the Iraqi battalion, who will be trained by the military
www.rft.forter.ro
from Constanþa, said: “Working with the
Romanian military means a lot to us. We
have the chance to learn from their experience in the operation theatres in West
Balkans and Afghanistan. I’m convinced that
there will be a successful cooperation which
will set solid the relationships between Iraqi
and Romanian military." n
Nr. 1 l 2010
27
Mission log
at Sharona
Captain Marius MIHAI
My
cell phone ring makes me start... I
reach my hand to get it, and through
my eyelashes, on the luminous display
I can see 03.30. I’m trying to remember, my brain goes on and the information gets together in my
mind: escort mission ... at Jacop ... 15 km... gunner...
Other three alarms start almost immediately and in five
minutes we, all Romanians from ETT SHARONA, meet at the
washroom. Our morning schedule gets “thinner" compared to
the one in a normal day and in ten minutes we start to get
dressed. One by one, equipped for the battle, we leave the
barracks and head for our Cougars. Today, CPT Sorin
Ciobanu will show his gunner “talents" in a competition with
28
Land Forces
the undersigned; CPT Bogdan Irimia will be the guy in back,
and master sergeant Costin Mititelu will be behind the wheel,
as usual.
Today’s mission: escort for a convoy consisting of
engineering equipment and material containers. Destination:
Jacop, somewhere 15 km away from us, where a new forward
operations base will be built. The US ETT chief, Maj. Murphy
gives the last details of the marching orders and we leave for
our positions. I climb up in the turret, check the position of the
mortar, the machine gun and the electrical system of the turret. I put on the radio headphones and I report that I am
ready. Sorin shows me from the other Cougar turret that
everything is O.K., and Mititelu greets me with the headlights.
It is 04.30 a.m. (02.00 in Romania), the Afghan sky is full of
stars, the thermometer points to -3oC
and off we go to the main gate of the
post. We stay here for about 15 minutes until we interpose the Ranger
Fords between us which are full of
Afghan soldiers and trailers with engineering equipment. We load the
weapons, ensure and start for PRT
Sharona. The road is deserted, we
move fast and we connect with the second convoy that is waiting for us and
which is formed of rack body trucks full
of material containers. A new convoy
organization takes place, the watch
shows 05.40 and the long column of
cars gets going.
We have moved pretty easily on
the main road, but now we are getting
to a stony back road full of potholes.
The initial comfort has vanished,
Cougar’s suspensions, though rigid
compared to Humve’s, make you swing
every direction on the off road. It’s still
dark and the convoy creeps slowly, like
a giant snake, along the high clay walls
www.rft.forter.ro
erected next to the road, beyond which the
Afghan dwellings lie. One sometimes has the
feeling that he is inside the famous Posada. The
road winds in the Afghan desert sprinkled with
stones, sand and withered plants reminding of
our country thistles except lower and round. We
scan the observation and firing area through our
night vision goggles and we wish for keeping the
weapons untouched on this mission. The coyotes
howl in the distance and the scarlet sunrises
from behind the mountain spine.
That was the easiest part; the following
rough road section gives the drivers
headaches... as it is sprinkled with depressions
as a result of detonating explosive devices.
What is worse is that some of them are actually
“seeded" forcing us to a detour. Some upside
down trucks and containers, long ago torched
by the “bad boys" complete the “landscape". It
is getting lighter; we are relieved as we have
better visibility.
We arrived. I cannot believe my eyes...
15 kilometers in three hours! We secure the area
and ANA soldiers from Engineers get busy. One
by one, the excavators, bulldozers and the other
equipment and containers are unloaded from
the trailers and trucks. Soon, the area becomes
a real building site.
Evening seems so far away for us - the
escort crew. We replace our American Bravo
company partners and then we put up our tents.
The engineers improvise a night camp, the sentries take their positions and all we have to do is
to populate our tents. But because there is still
time till the sun sets completely, we and the
American comrades share stories, lingering
around an anemic fire, kept on by desert teasels
and food packages.
Coldness pushes us into the tents and
sleeping bags. It’s early to slumber; there are
about eleven hours of “sleep" till six o’clock a.m.
tomorrow morning. I try to fall asleep but I am
not successful... I am counting the sheep but the
coyotes’ yowls scatter them. I can hear Sorin
perform muster call and it seems that all of us
will be on guard in the first shift.
Later less and less voices report to the
call. Mititelu is the first “victim", then Bogdan,
next I or Sorin, I am not sure...
The cell phone alarm finds me awake. I
can feel the cold air in the tent and all my joints
are numb. That’s for sure, these camping trips do
no longer agree with me. When I was in my
twenties was a different story. I try to stand my
sleeping bag for two eternal hours then I get out.
Sorin is faster, he has already lit his cigarette.
He moves the flashlight over the tents. They are
completely covered by a thin layer of ice.
Mititelu appears, too, with puffy and tired eyes,
together with Bogdan, but not in the mood for
talking. It is too early in the morning.
The sun rises from behind the mountains
and we try to chase away the chilliness with a
few warm up exercises. We can hardly make it
so we pack the equipment, get in the cars and in
columns we set off to Sharona. I hear Mititelu in
my mind encouraging us just like that in the
morning: for those 91, respectively 71 Euros a
day we, we must endure a little coldness... in the
winter. n
brothers in arms
The Romanian
militaries were
honored with
medals by the
USA Army
translated by Valericã PICIOREA
T
wenty seven Romanian militaries, who asserted
themselves through bravery in the missions’
accomplishment in the theatre of operations in
Iraqi, were honored with medals by the Ambassador of the
United States of America, his Excellency Mark Gitenstein on
Friday 26th of March.
At the ceremony, also participate along with the
30
Land Forces
Ambassador of the United States of America, his Excellency
Mark Gitenstein, the State Secretary of Defense for Operations
and Training, Major General Valeriu Nicuþ, and the Deputy of
the Chief of the Major General Staff, Major General PhD Dan
Ghica-Radu.
To the colonel (ret.) Valentin Nistor was conferred the
highest American decoration - "Bronze Star Medal", three militaries were honored with the medal "Merituous Service", and
some other three the decoration "Army Commemoration".
After the decorations
and medals handing over to
the Romanian militaries, his
Excellency Mark Gitenstein
praised the Romanian militaries’ bravery and professional, and stated that" it is
very touching to look in the
warriors ‘eyes as these militaries are, and acknowledge
that they will endanger their
lives far away from home, in
the name of a common
cause. I can remember a
writer who is well praised by
the Americans: William
Shakespeare. In an well
known poem, called Henry
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brothers in arms
V, the King appealed to his soldiers "The
one who sheds blood with me is my brother!" And these are my sisters and brothers. And thus we consider you. You are
the most precious allies and I have the
great opportunity to appreciate this by
offering decorations and medals today,
and these militaries’ bravery and proficiency recognition, too.
The State Secretary Mihail
Vasile-Ozunu delivered the Minister of
National Defense Gabriel Oprea official
communication, in which was emphasized that the Romanian militaries honored by decorations by the American
partner, whom they fought side by side,
represents a motive of pride and
recognition for the exemplary mission
accomplishment in the IRAQI FREEDOM framework, our soldiers have
proceeded accordingly to the
Romanian ambassadors manner.
"We can state proudly that
Romania will carry on offering efficient
security in the North Atlantic Alliance
framework and the Romanian militaries are capable to accomplish their
missions and the responsibilities
assumed together with the USA Army.
We owe respect and appreciation to
the American and Romanian soldiers,
who fight shoulder by shoulder with all
their strength, ability and determination on the battlefield against the terrorism, practically assuming the risks
Nr. 1 l 2010
in order to protect the same common values and to respond to
the same threats," is set out in the
Minister of National Defense
Gabriel Oprea official communication.
At the final part of the
ceremony the State Secretary
Mihail Vasile-Ozunu stated:
Today, we witnessed to a special
event, to an impressive moment,
to show gratitude to the
Romanian soldiers’ contribution
for the IRAQI liberation and
reconstruction. It was a touching
moment and according to this it
is evidently that the Romanian
soldiers did not go there just to
show themselves, but to act
admiringly, feat of arms recognized by the American ally
honor with medals. We consider
that they will proceed in the same
manner. We hope
that the world to
come up to the condition
when soldiers should not
take action and stay at
home more often. Unfortunately, as you can observe, there a lot of conflicts and threats, yet.
One of the honored with medals was
Lieutenant Gabriel Joldea.
He carried out his mission
in Iraqi from August 2008 until March
2009, and accomplished the assignment
of action officer in Energy Fusion Cell
framework, that deals with the security of
the strategically structure of oil, natural
gas, and electricity production and transportation.
"This honor with medals represents, undoubtedly, our American partner
recognition for the efforts that we made
in the theatre of operations in Iraqi, and
presently in Afghanistan. It was a pleasant moment for me, the one that values
for an officer and certifies in an honorable mode our actions and efforts me
and my colleagues have made in time in
order to come up to a specific standard."
He mentioned the friendship between the
American and Romanian soldiers and at
the stand up from the final part of the
activity, he detailed: There is no doubt
that because of the special events we
had shared, a lot of relationships
strenghtened differently than the common ones. I have to emphasize the fact
that, under every circumstance, I got their
continuous support and understanding even if an impediment of language
should have been passed – by the reason
that in risk situations, we are all alike". n
31
brothers in arms
Military
away from home
Ciprian ANGHELUÞÃ
T
he Romanian soldier in
the operational theater celebrates in the
Romanian way in a christian spirit
and then he withdraws in a corner,
places his hand on his chest, where
he has a picture of his wife and child,
and he gets ready for the next mission.
Winter holidays have a special
meaning for our soul. In these
moments, we are full with feleeings of
compassion, joy and quietism. The
fact that everybody celebrates
with his/her family comforts us. Our colleagues
in the operation theaters spend their
holidays with the
big family called
The Army. Everything is alright. But,
for a few moments,
our soul is with their
family back home:
a child, a wife, a
mother, a father. In
these moments they
have a great feel-
32
i n g Land Forces
of missing for the beloved
ones. I am certain that
the psychologist Daniela
Cotârcã could say more
about the feelings of our
colleagues.
Feelings
that they have during
these moments.
Christmas is the
celebration of the
beautiful feelings,
celebration of
the family, the
joy for Jesus
birth. For us,
last year,
o u r
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brothers in arms
family was replaced with the big family of the Army and I consider that by
all we did there, the military had the
feeling of belonging to this family.
First, with their help and the help of
the others back home, we tried to
support for the great absence of the
original family.
The most important was the
Christmas spirit, that nestled within
our souls. Now, that we are far from
the operation theater, we will not forget our colleagues that are there
now. Our thought will always be with
them. Even if our souls also had a sad
feeling that is not in accordance with
the joy of Christmas, we still tried to
have a great time.
In these moments we want to
be close to those in the operation
theaters, to support them with our
good thoughts, with our beautiful
feelings and to remind them that,
after a short period of time, they will
be back with their families.
Christmas is the celebration of
feeling. You can not help feeling,
thinking of the beloved ones, offering
presents, bid wishes. Dear madam,
as a psychologist, our listeners would
like to know the way our colleagues
celebrated and which the dynamic of
the group was, as related to the specific of these holidays.
The present for them was first
the joy, the closeness of their returning back home. In those moments we
tried be friends to each other, to forget the ranks and positions and to
create an environment of our own. All
the military got involved in decorating the local spaces from there to create an environment as familiar as
possible and everybody had a contri-
bution either gastronomic, or literary,
or musical, or singing carols and we
tried to make up a life similar to the
traditional one in Romania and to
feel the spirit of Christmas in the
same way as back home. Many of
our colleagues were part of a group
who sang carols, impressing the foreign military with our traditional carols. Of course that the Romanian is
used to having all the traditional
Romanian dishes. In this regard, they
organized themselves in small
groups, each contributing to create a
good holiday atmosphere. Moreover, it is important to remember in
these moments that we must forgive
the others, find the time and the
strength to help the others and put
aside the negative feelings and not
forget the ones that no longer are
among us. n
brothers in arms
Supporting
our brothers
in arms
Interview with the president of “Holy Martyr George, the
Triumphant" Foundation, Lieutenant General (rt) Neculai
Bahnareanu.
— General, let us start with the beginning. What was the main reason of establishing the “Holy Martyr George" Foundation?
— Land Forces military people have largely taken part in fund raising
campaigns in order to support humanitarian activities for their brothers in arms
and their families who are suffering or have social issues, with no possibilities
to improve or solve them. The Land Forces Staff Committee for Social Issues,
based on the assessments that have been performed, has initiated, organized
and developed more fund raising campaigns in order to solve these cases.
“Hope for everybody" was the most relevant social campaign from the
point of view of its range and solved cases, during which the amount
of 54,500 RON was raised and 17 social cases were solved.
Within the Land Forces Staff, to praise those people who
fell in combat in operation theatres is a duty of honor.
Maintaining relationships with their families, as well as with
the military wounded on missions abroad; providing medical
support for them, as well as other types of support, embodies an initiative that determines the existence of a social
institution. Last but not least, we have had the example of
civilian society, of the military institutions in the country or
abroad, but also the necessity to have a non profit institution, based on voluntary contributions, to evaluate and
solve coherently, honestly and fairly all the applications. As
a partner of the Land Forces Staff, “Holy Martyr George,
34
Land Forces
www.rft.forter.ro
brothers in arms
the Triumphant" Foundation was
established from humanitarian reasons, as a complementary social institution, and not as a competitor to
other similar structures.
— What is the main activity
field of this foundation?
— Holy Martyr George, the
Triumphant" Foundation performs its
activity in a humanitarian field – hope
for our fellow military to find solutions
for their sufferings or appease them.
Its main activity field was channeled
into purposes and objectives and
implemented through programs and
projects. This fact solves coherently
and transparently, within the limits of
the existing funds, the social needs of
our fellow military, by acquiring
goods or social services, a priority
being the medical ones. The activity
of this foundation depends on donations from active or retired military, as
well as on the 2 percent received from
taxes, other donations and sponsorships. The Director Committee of
“Holy
Martyr
George,
the
Triumphant" Foundation is the control
and administration device and performs its activity using volunteers."
— What activities have been
performed up to this moment?
— During the first part of
2008, starting with April 23rd (Land
Forces Day), we organized ourselves
in order to function legally and effectively. Thus, on April 23rd the foundation was acknowledged as a legal
structure District 6 Court of Law from
Bucharest. During the same year, on
May 12th, we were granted the subscription
certificate
in
the
Associations and Foundations
Register ( the date when the establishment of the foundation is celebrated, according to the law), and
the next day we were granted a fiscal recording certificate from the
Local Public Funds Direction, district
6,
Bucharest.
The
Director
Committee of the foundation was
established on July 9th and since
December 1st last year-the National
Day of Romania- we have had our
Nr. 1 l 2010
own website, which can be accessed
at
www.fundatiasfantugheorghe2008.ro. And this only refers to
its organization.
Socially, we organized and
developed the “2 percent campaign"
(from April to May 2008) as a fund
raising – we took part in the activities
celebrating the Heroes Day, the Flag
Day, the Romanian Army Day and
the National Day of Romania. We
took over the cases from the Land
Forces Staff Committee for Social
Issues, and we organized some life
improving activities and, as much as
it was possible, we solved them.
Other projects that we developed
were: “Hope for everyone", “A child’s
smile", “St. Helen", “There have been
heroes, heroes are still there", most of
them being taken over by the media.
I am bound to emphasize the fact
that we have recorded 24 social
cases (9 children and 15 adults), to
which add up 3 cases of monitoring
the families belonging to the military
deceased in the missions abroad and
21 social cases representing the families of our military inside the country’s borders who have had special
social and medical issues. We have
had donations and sponsorships up
to 79,000 RON.
— What are your plans for
2009?
— According to the multi-annual planning for 2009 – 2012 and the
foundation’s budget for 2009, we
have taken into consideration the following activities: a social program
that comprises 4 projects, an educational program based on 2 projects,
an economical program with one
project and a social program of public interest, and we would greatly
appreciate having a representative
from “Land Forces Magazine" among
us during their unfolding. We would
also like to attract a larger number of
new adhesions, and in that respect,
we consider appointing a person
responsible with the associative environment in every military unit within
the Land Forces. As well as we would
like to obtain the public organization
status. n
This foundaTion
has as iTs Main
objecTiVes:
• To provide social support
for the active or retired military and civilian personnel
from the romanian national
defense Ministry, as well as
for their spouses and children, who due to economical, physical, psychological
or social reasons, don’t
have the possibility to fulfill
their social needs and to
develop their own abilities
and skills necessary for
social integration
• To develop activities
meant to support and foster
the professional and military feelings of fellowship
• To bring back to the collective conscience of the
citizens the feelings of
deep gratitude towards the
heroes and martyrs of our
people
• To stimulate professional
motivation
• To promote the spirit of
solidarity and mutual help
35
brothers in arms
On the other side
of the microphone
R
ight after finishing high school, junior staff sergeant Alina Raicu started her journalistic
career because, as she declared, she likes
being among people,
knowing their joys and
problems. Nevertheless,
Mrs. Raicu changed her
civilian clothes with the
military uniform and
passed to the other side
of the voice recorder;
even if she is an NCO
within CIMIC, she is
doing very well in the public relations department
At the conference of the officers in charge of public
relations which took place in Târgoviºte, the discussions
between these and the journalists were held in a professional
and straightforward manner. But when you hear someone
telling Oana Dobre from “Evenimentul Zilei" that she didn’t do
her homework regarding the article written by the Bãlan family orphan (lieutenant-colonel Ştefan Bãlan and his wife died,
while their daughter was badly injured in a car accident on the
28th of July, when the officer returned home from the theater
of operations), you cannot stop turning around and looking
with approval for the person who uttered the sentence. The
surprise was even bigger when I found out that junior staff sergeant Alina Raicu, a CIMIC NCO with the 282 “Unirea
Principatelor" Mechanized Brigade, was a journalist. Mrs.
Raicu consented to answer several questions and tell us why
she wanted to pass to the other side of the microphone and
why she decided to put on the military uniform.
— What determined you to choose the military
career?
— Our parents educated us in a certain spirit oldfashioned nowadays- of preserving certain values, like
the national values, respecting tradition and heroes. My
father was an officer, my mother is a teacher. The education I received home has had a word to say and that
is why I embraced the military career.
— Before choosing the military career you were a
journalist. How did you choose this profession?
— I’ve been very interested in journalism since
high school, I was in charge with the high school magazine and I really liked working with people, always discovering something new, gathering information and
36
Land Forces
www.rft.forter.ro
brothers in arms
presenting it to the people; basically to
be of use to whoever read the magazine. After graduation I became a journalist.
— How did you enjoy being a
journalist?
— I liked it very much, as long as
journalism, at that time, was done by
respecting... and here we talk again
about values and several standards
that disappeared. The journalism I
practiced was in the service of the person, respecting the principle of objectivity, the value of the word, and the freedom of each citizen. And when you
know that what you present is useful or
presents the truth, it is an asset gained
by everybody and for what you leave
behind you.
and they are the ones holding the voice
recorders.
— By the way, since you brought
up the military uniform, how does the
army appear like now that you are
wearing one?
— For me the army has kept the
same values and principles. The concept
of being a soldier hasn’t changed much
from what I already knew.
— How do you think your career
will develop in the next five years?
— I hope I can accomplish all the
goals I’ve set for myself, to have the
same responsibilities that I have now, to
mediate a relationship between the military installation where I work and the
citizens of the local community. Also I
would like to go on a mission in an operation theater abroad. I want to get to
know the environment there, not only
the military one, but also to get in touch
with the people. I still have this desire of
working as much as I can with people
and to familiarize myself with as many
environments as possible.n
— Do you have an article that you
like the most and which brings you
pleasant memories?
— Not an article. For some time I
held a page which reflected the life in
the schools within Vrancea county, it was
called “The voice of the third millennium". As long as I was a journalist that
page worked –unfortunately it wasn’t
continued- and it was a real pleasure to
work with the pupils, especially with
those from high school. They have a lot
to say, but unfortunately nobody is interested in their opinion anymore. Their
brightness stays somewhere lost among
so many aspects that are presented in a
negative way. They are being drawn
towards values other than the ones connected to learning and education.
— Now you work in the public
relations field. How would you describe
being on the other side of the microphone?
— It is a little bit more difficult,
especially because I work with ex-colleagues. In order to present a certain
aspect I always fall into the trap of asking myself more questions than they
would. At the same time I have to protect certain aspects, because the military institution is in need of constant
protection, since it represents the safety
of all of us. Then I know what to expect
from them, and they know what to
expect from me. Basically, we still compete in the same way, even though I am
the one dressed in the military uniform
Nr. 1 l 2010
37
alma Mater
At the infantry
very beginning
translated by Valericã PICIOREA
If for the infantry officers who, at the moment, have more years of Army service, Fãgãraº was
a mandatory point, due to the career courses- up to the staff officer in the infantry battalion- that
were carried out there , recently, due to the military education improvement, "Constantin
Brâncoveanu" Infantry and Mountain Training Center have become the Infantry out set.
W
hy do we consider Fãgãraº an outset?
For the reason that here trains and
moulds all the military personnel in this
weapon: enlisted soldiers, noncommissioned and commissioned officers. Infantry and Mountain Training Center
subordinates to the "Mihai Viteazul" Applicative School
38
Land Forces
for Fighting Units in Piteºti, and has the mission to
plan,organize,coordinate and asses the basic instruction
and training, permanent improvement and specialization
of the infantry and mountain troops, active and in reserve
military personnel belonging to Ministry of National
Defense. Subordinating to the Training Center in Fãgãraº,
Mountain Training Base "Bucegi" in Predeal, improves
www.rft.forter.ro
alma Mater
and specializes military staff and
enlisted soldiers (coming from Ist
Instruction Battalion in Caracal) in
mountaineer specialty.
In addition to the infantry military personnel instruction and training stage, the institution carries out
methods of organizing, supply support and instruction in weapon, elaborates the specific documents, protects and preserves the Infantry cultural and historical heritage.
Moreover, the institution also supports through major supply support
plans the infantry units that are in the
Center’s responsibility. Here are
seven out of them: infantry fighting
vehicle MLI-84 M, armored transporter for troops, optical and optoelectronic system, NATO individual
weapons, advanced individual fight-
Nr. 1 l 2010
ing system, anti armor weapon system, individual system of ballistic
protection. In here there are also
elaborated the operational requirements for the seven supply support
programs; their updating is carried
out according to the NATO requirements for the deployable forces. The
Department of Research and
Development in Weapon from the
Training Center also deals with the
carry out of two very important
objectives of the Force: Multinational
Operations in Urban Areas and the
Advanced
Individual
Fighting
System.
As it is well known, the war
aspect has changed. Starting the last
decade of the past century, alongside the Gulf War, the books about
battle conducting started to be
rewritten. We can
observe the forces
super technology
support supply,
elaboration
of
more intelligent
ammo, and of
course carrier vectors having a superior efficiency. We
are quite endeavored to believe
that we are nearly
to the 80’s science fiction movies,
where wars were totally conducted
by robots. A legitimate question arises according to this context: Is
Infantry useful anymore? And moreover: has an institution like the
Infantry and Mountain Training
Center any future efficiency? For the
time being the latest conflicts proved
that no matter technology and technique improved the ultimate outcome
is settled by Infantry.
Here is the survey of the courses that are established at Fãgãraº:
basic course for officers trained by
direct stages or the training course
for the come up officers by indirect
stages, in order to get their first
career assignment: platoon commander. The advanced course trains
officers for the company commander
appointment and at the staff course
trains the officers who will carry out
in the infantry battalion general staff.
For the noncommissioned officers are
established career and training
courses (similar to the officers’), the
advanced course, in order to become
group/section commanders and pro-
moting in rank to sergeant first
class/warrant officer class I, and
accomplishes the infantry platoon
commander appointment. For the
enlisted soldiers there have been
established the specific training for
this echelon and the lance corporals’
course. n
39
alma Mater
The way
to a European
school
Professor Mioara CÎMPAN
E
-tools for European
Education is the title of
a pilot-course which
launches the testing of on-line lessons
for the high-school students in a few
European countries. Computer assisted teaching is a new way used to
highlight the socio-cognitive aspect
through interaction, collaboration and
flexibility.
Europae Island project is based
on this principle promoting a highlevel educational content, describing
the idea of a European citizenship
process. This activity has been coordinated by Centro di Studi e
Formazione Villa Montesca in Italy
together with the representative education institutions in Spain, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania.
Stefan cel Mare Military High-School
in Campulung was invited by Railway
Transport Technical School in Iasi to
test the implementation of a 3 new
curriculum: The History of European
Integration, European Civic Education
and European Culture and Literature.
Thus, 3 instructors and a group of 20
students used this new educational
method which is meant to stimulate
the learning processes, especially the
ones based on teaching with the help
40
Land Forces
www.rft.forter.ro
alma Mater
of the computer.
In on-line
training, learning and teaching
methods
and contents, as
well as the
process of training must be
linked to the
computer assisted
training.
Usage of the
Internet requires
some changes
regarding interaction
and
methods
of
communication
(for instance:
teacher’s place
in the classroom
and student’s
learning methods). The virtual
class can have
almost 100 students. However
the ideal number of students
which can guarantee a good
level of interaction and excellent results is
around 25. Therefore, our virtual
class which tested the curricula was
composed of 20 students.
After our instructors took part
in more training courses, they got
familiar with the 3 curriculum with
the help of some special lessons
held in AEL laboratory. The new
information and the interesting way
in which the lessons have been presented arose students’ interest.
Creation of a virtual class has
required the following of 3 steps:
planning, management, implementation and brought forth 2 basic
principles: dialogue and social interaction. After testing each curriculum, a virtual community made up of
students from each institution has
Nr. 1 l 2010
been created on the chat forum.
Within the virtual class student’s role
was more important than the
teacher’s one. The instructor is the
one who led the discussion, offered
new perspectives or summarized the
ideas, identifying the main topics
and the most important and controversial points of discussion. The students have been encouraged to
present their own ideas without
being cricitized. As a result, chatting
has developed a special communication based on the spontaneity of
the oral communication and the
accuracy of the written one. The virtual community has become a
strategic study source, because
here students had the opportunity to
behave naturally from the social,
cultural and emotional point of
view.
The
cultural
exchange
accomplished at the level of each
community had an immediate
impact. Among the consequences of
this project we can mention the fact
that the instructors have come to
know the virtual learning environment and its educational potential.
The students who took part actively
in this training, developed communication skills with the instructor, but
also with other students. Europae
Island project offered the opportunity to sustain a dynamic learning
process, developing not only cognitive but also social skills. n
41
THE MILITARY HIGH
SPORTS SUMMER OL
SCHOOL
YMPICS
sport
The military
highschool sports
summer olympics
Leutenent-Colonel Dragoº ANGHELACHE
M
ihai
Viteazul"
Military
Highschool from Alba Iulia is the
host of the 37th edition of the
Military Highschool Sports Olympics. Held under
the motto “Friendship through sport" of the
International Military Sport Council, this year’s
edition brought together 180 students ready to
race in a four day competition.
The Military Highschool Sports Summer
Olympics represents, through the extent and complexity of the competition trials, the most important sports event from the Land Forces Staff. The
students signed up for seven trials: target shooting, track and field (athletics), military triathlon,
basketball, handball, volleyball and table tennis.
For all the trials there is a team chart and for the
target shooting, military triathlon and table tennis trials – an individual chart.
The opening festivity of the Olympics started with the
display of the sports team to the Land Forces Staff representative colonel Mihai Ciungu, the performing of the national and
Olympic anthems, and the colonel Ciungu delivered a speech to
all the participants.
“Always, the Olympics has been a tradition for military
highschools and it has always opened the way for performance
to a large number of teenage sportsmen like yourselves, when
our ideals and passions urge us to aim higher and higher." The
colonel declared he felt extremely honored to take part in the
opening ceremony of the Olympics, noticing as well the conditions that the hosts had provided for all the competitors.
“This competition is not a purpose itself. First it is an
opportunity to outclass yourselves, to make display of your
44
Land Forces
fierceness, competition spirit, sports excellence and not last the
fair-play spirit which must be a main feature of this tradition
bound competition", concluded colonel Ciungu, and thus he
declared opened the 37th edition of the Military Highschool
Sports Summer Olympics.
Student sergeant Alexandru Fagadau delivered the
sportsmen’s oath: “On behalf of all the competitors I swear to
take part in this competition by obeying the rules that determine
them, proving fair – play spirit, for the glory of sports and the
honor of our teams." On his turn, captain Ion Prundaru delivered
the referees’ oath: “On behalf of all the referees and officials I
swear to fulfill our duties impartially during the competition,
obeying the rules that determine them, respecting the fair – play
spirit."
The first day was dedicated to athletics and games. At
100 meter sprint race, on the first 3 positions were: staff ser-
www.rft.forter.ro
sport
geant student Alexandru Ifrim (11,07
sec.) from Alba Iulia Military Highschool,
followed by staff sergeant student Radu
Matei (11,27 sec.) and corporal student
Sebastian Orza (11, 31 sec.), both from
Breaza. The 400 meter race was won by
the corporal student Marius Fratila
(50,22 sec.) from Breaza Military
Highschool “Dimitrie Cantemir", on the
second and third places being sergeant
student Cosmin Ciolacu from Campulung
(50,48 sec.) and staff sergeant student
Antonio Ifrim (50,97 sec.), a representative of the hosts. The 1,500 meter race
was divided between two competitors
from “Stefan cel Mare" and “Mihai
Viteazul" Military Highschools, and the
Nr. 1 l 2010
first two places were won by lance corporal student Alexandru Mihalcea (4 min.
17,51 sec.) and corporal student
Alexandru Spiridon (4 min. 19,14 sec.),
whereas corporal student Adrain Dinica
(4 min. 24,70 sec.) occupied the third
place. The last two competition tasks
were the discus throw – where the students from Breaza stood out, represented
by corporal student Marius Stan (12,635
m) and sergeant student Mihai Bordianu
(11,975 m), followed by student Florin
Griguta from Military Highschool “Mihai
Viteazul" – and the high jump. For the
high jump task, the decision regarding
the first place, was made considering the
number of attempts for the 1,86 m height,
on the first place came out master sergeant student Radu Alexa from Military
Highschool “Dimitrie Cantemir" Breaza,
followed by Alexandru Fechete from
Alba Iulia “Mihai Viteazul" Military
Highschool(he reached the same height
but he made more attempts), the thirds
place being occupied by sergeant student Andrei Spranceana (“Stefan cel
Mare" Military Highschool from
Campulung Moldovenesc) with 1,86m.
The second day of the Olympics
marked the end of the athletics tasks and
the finalization of the official chart; the
triathlon and military target shooting
competitions being scheduled for the following days.
It was remarkable the courage of
the sports team chief from Campulung
Moldovenesc who threw the 9th grade
freshman Adrian Vezeteu into the competition. As a result of the high jump competition from the previous day he had occupied a honorable 4th with 1,80 m., and
A Difficult Throw
The discus throw competition took place on
the Cetate Stadium and took part in it 2 students
from each highschool’s sports team. The competitors proved a lot of physical and tactical training, the length of their throws displaying this
preparation. They managed to enchant their supporters who cheered and clapped to encourage
them. The tensed muscles and an attitude of
seriousness and concentration add up to create
a competition environment. The gallery of our
highschool managed to encourage their fair –
play spirit, enjoying each throw of the students
from Alba Iulia. Within the competition there were
6 throws, the best one being taken into consideration for the final chart.
The first three places were taken by:
First place: corporal student Marius Stan from
Breaza (12,635 m);
Second place: sergeant student Mihai
Bordianu from Breaza (11,975 m)
Third place: sergeant student Florin Griguta
from Alba Iulia (11,910 m).
Corporal students Octavian Vijoli
and Andrei Talas
High Quality
Table Tennis
The match started relatively easy, but, as the
opponents got familiarized with each other, the
attacks became more and more aggressive.
Before the beginning of the second match,
the tension has been increasing, especially that
the competitor from Breaza Highschool, corporal
student Roxana Tolu had won the last year’s
competition. In the gym one can hear only the
sound of the ball hitting the tennis table. The
adversaries look into each other’s eyes, and
serving by serving, each tries to win the victory
for her own team. Nobody has the courage to
say a thing. The audience can hardly wait for the
end and after the first set is won by Alba, the
next 2 semi victories are achieved by the adversary.
The 4th set is ours from the beginning to the
end, winning with a 11 to 9 score. Tasting the victory, we get prepared for the boys’ competition.
After the smiles during the break, tensions
emerge, but, fortunately, corporal student
Fugaretu Marius ends them, managing not be
defeated in each set, and winning the the last
one, against the competitor from Campulung,
with an 11 to 1 score.
Chart: 1st place –Alba; 2nd place – Breaza; 3rd
place – Campulung.
Sergeant student Vlad Nicolcioiu
45
sport
the following day he occupied the same
place in the long jump competition with
6,18 m. Taking into consideration that he
still has time to improve his technique
and, consequently, his performance, it’s
not unnatural to consider him a permanent candidate to the 1st place in a competition.
But let us get back to the competition’s aces, those who came on the first
three positions. Starting with the 200 m
race, we can find again corporal student
Marius Fratila from “Dimitrie Cantemir"
on the first place (22,52 sec.), followed
by staff sergeant student Antonio Ifrim
(from “Mihai Viteazul") with 22,63 sec.
and sergeant student Cosmin Ciolacu
(from “Stefan cel Mare") with 22,70 sec.
The 4×400 meter relay competition was quite dramatic. The competition
was fierce in the beginning, the competi-
tors from Alba Iulia imposing the pace
and leading the race. The first three
switches were made over short time periods, so anything was possible. After the
last switch, the competitor from “Mihai
Viteazul" was visibly ahead of the other
runners, follwed at a 30 -40 meter distance by the competitors from “Stefan
cel Mare" and “Dimitrie Cantemir". At the
last turn, the competitor from Cantemir
lost his balance while running and
dropped the relay. It looked like he was
going to quit, but, due to his coach support, he continued the race, and, even if
he occupied the last position, he scored 8
points for his team. An unexpected turn
of events occurred on the last straight
lane, when the competitor from Alba Iulia
lost his breath and the one from
Campulung Moldovenesc gathered his
forces and attacked taking the lead. The
total score: Campulung with 3min27,63
sec gained 14 points, Alba Iulia, with 3
min28,33 sec came on the second place
with 10 points, and Breaza on the third
place with 8 points. It’s still acceptable if
we take into consideration that, in case of
quitting, the team would have been disqualified and wouldn’t have gotten anything.
The 800 meters race was disputed between the competitors from
“Dimitrie Cantemir", “Stefan cel Mare"
and “mihai Viteazul": the first place being
won by junior staff sergeant student
Iulian Dumitrascu (2 min 0,88 sec), the
second place by lance corporal student
Alexandru Mihalea (2 min 1,41 sec) and
corporal student Andrei Dinca came out
on the third place (2 min 2,89 sec).
The long jump task/trial was easily won by corporal student Stefan Orza
The heart of the competition was – except the gallery that was the embodiment of fair – play – the magazine edited by a student collective under the leadership of PR consultant Diana Filomon. Besides an attractive lay-out (templates created by
Carmen Cimpean), we have also noticed the accuracy of the writing style. Permanently in the fire of the competition, the reporters have managed to offer, each morning, the updated information regarding the competition. From my perspective, a highly
experienced journalist that is, I can only congratulate them and urge you to access this publication at www.colmil-mvro/spartachiada.htm. You won’t regret it.
Nr. 1 l 2010
47
sport
Handball, From
Agony to Ecstasy
Inside “1st December"University gym, one couldn’t tell what was going to happen: that fierce game
between the teams of Alba and Campulung highschools.
The gallery has been bursting with excitement.
After a balanced game, next to the end of the first
half, the players from Campulung detach themselves, setting the score at 14 to 7.
The tie break represented for our team the most
precious moment managing to gather their forces.
Led by their coach, teacher Ovidiu Olteanu, ceaselessly supported and advised by the ex handball
player, the present commander of the Alba Iulia highschool, Colonel Valerica Diaconu, they gained more
confidence in their own forces and changed their
game tactic.
One cannot deny the contribution of the ex MV
coach, teacher Mircea Oprea, famous for his advice
(or corrections, as the case may be), applied to his
players, who appeared in the game area at some
moment. A piece of advice may always prove helpful!
At the beginning of the second half of the game, a
parallel game took place: in the stand. Very feisty in
the beginning, little by little, one of the galleries gives
up. It’s not the gallery supporting Alba Iulia, because
they channeled their energy to the players, leading
them to victory. After 50 minutes of being led, at
some moments to the defeat point of no return, the
handball players from Alba Iulia, started an infernal
riot that would lead them to victory at the end of the
game. A victory which was worth fighting for! The
chart board displayed 25 to 22 – a score that proved
that anything is possible if you want it bad enough!
That one can get anything possibly to get if one
makes prove of ambition, professional behavior and,
maybe if luck itself smiles down upon!
Student Diana Budiu, Lance
corporal student Simona Chisu
48
Land Forces
from Breaza with 6,53m in the second
attempt (the first one was 6,36 m). On
the second position came sergeant student
Andrei
Spranceana
from
Campulung, with 6,48 m and student
Andrei Manolache from Breaza with
6,39 m.
Thus, at the end of the athletics
competition, the sports team representing
Military Highschool “Dimitrie Cantemir"
from Breaza came on the first position of
the chart with a total amount of 91 points
and 28 in the general chart, on the second place we can find Military
Highschool “Stefan cel Mare" from
Campulung Moldovenesc with a total
amount of 77 point and 22 in the general chart; and on the third place there is
Military Highschool Mihai Viteazul from
Alba Iulia , the difference between them
and the second position being only 19
points in the general chart.
The outdoor tracking race took
place on the last day of the Olympics, on
the hill behind the highschool, and it was
a difficult race but the coaches considered it beautiful. Its difficultness consisted
in the changes of pace and rhythm that it
imposes. Thus, in the first part, the race
was a 100 meters sprint, followed by a
500 meter slope with a 45 degrees inclination angle. The second part of the race
between checkpoints 2 and 3 was 500
meters long and can be considered a flat
terrain race. It was enough room for over
passing. The most difficult part of the
race started after checkpoint 3, where
the competitors had to run up a series of
3 turns, with a total length of 300 meters.
At the end of the turns there was an
ascendant slope, followed by a descent.
The last 200 meters to the finish line were
also a flat terrain run. The beauty of the
race consisted both in its difficulty and in
the fact that, beyond their psychical abil-
ities, the competitors had to come up with
a strategy to occupy the first positions.
The hosts had the advantage of their own
terrain, on which they had been training
for a long time and they could conceive
an intelligent strategy on how to
approach the race. It’s no wonder that at
the ceremony the podium was entirely
red, the equipment color of the students
from Alba Iulia.
The final chart, nevertheless,
placed on the first position the students
from Military Highschool “Dimitrie
Cantemir" from Breaza, on the second
place the hosts, and on the third place
the students from Military Highschool
“Stefan cel Mare" from Campulung
Moldovenesc.
Because Breaza
Highschool was on the podium three
years in a row the Cup was awarded to
the students from Cantemir for good.
More details regarding the performance
for each task and the charts can be
accessed on the magazine’s website, on
the sports page. n
www.rft.forter.ro

Multinational

Transcription

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