The 20th Infantry Battalion "Black Scorpions" Short history

The 20^th Infantry Battalion "Black Scorpions"

Short history

The 20^th Infantry Battalion was established in May 1, 1995. The first important event in the unit's life was the Combat Colors ceremony occurred 818f516i in November 11, 1996 and received by Lieutenant Colonel Marin Sfetcu, the first commander of the unit.

Along the time the unit was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Marin Sfetcu (June 15, 1996-April 15, 1998), Colonel Stefan Dinu (April 15, 1998-October 1, 1998), Colonel Stefan Tudor (October 10, 1998-May 1, 2001), Lieutenant Colonel Gheorghe Moghina (July 27, 2001-October4, 2004) and since October 4, 2004 the Battalion is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nicolae Ioan.

In peace time, one of the Battalion main mission was the training of in term soldiers and reduce term soldiers. Thus, since its establishment the unit trained about 1,800 in term and reduce term soldiers, part of them returning in the unit as contract hired military personnel. The unit is now fully professional and the personnel is only contract hired.

Although till the summer of 2005 the Battalion did not entirely participated in international missions, but part of the personnel was present within the Romanian Detachments in missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq.

Structures of the 20^th Infantry Battalion participated in 2004 in two multinational exercises with the Bulgarian 61^st Mechanized Brigade "Karlovo" and the soldiers from Serbia and Montenegro in "BLUE ROAD" exercise. The Romanian-Bulgarian common training exercise "BALKANIC GUARDIN 2005 " occurred in June 2005, in Craiova with the participation of two Platoons from the 20^th Infantry Battalion and one Bulgarian Platoon.

Starting October 4, 2004 the unit is organized and functions based on a new structure consisting in three Infantry Companies, a Support Company and One Staff and Service Company for missions during peace time, crisis and war time on the national territory and abroad.

The 20^th Infantry Battalion's participation in mission in Iraq, August 2005-January 2006 is a prove of its maturation and professional recognition.