Senior Course 124 started its Transatlantic Link Field Study at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, on Monday 5 May 2014.
Led by NDC Dean Dr Daria Daniels Skodnik, the delegation was welcomed by BrigGen Gary Deakin, Director of the Comprehensive Crisis and Operations Management Centre (CCOMC). In his introductory briefing, he provided background information on the daily work of CCOMC in relation to current priorities of SHAPE. Colonel Dirk Brodersen, Deputy Director of CCOMC, then offered a more detailed analysis of the CCOMC process, including crisis identification, initial estimation, planning and execution.
After the session, Course Members had the opportunity to engage in a wide-ranging discussion with General Werner Freers, Chief of Staff of SHAPE, and MajGen Gordon Davis, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Intelligence.
The next day, Course Members visited NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where they were given an authoritative update on current security questions by General Knud Bartels, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
Dr Jamie Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, then analysed immediate and long-term security challenges for the Alliance.
He was followed by Mr Ian Stallion, from the Nuclear Policy Directorate in the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, who spoke about the Alliance’s contribution to nuclear deterrence.
The topic of NATO standardization was addressed by Mr Cesare Balducci, Deputy Director of the NATO Standardization Agency, who explained the value of standardization as a core element of interoperability.
The last speaker of the session was Ambassador Francesca Tardioli, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Planning in the Operations Division.
Each of the briefings was followed by a lively Q&A session. In addition, Course Members were able to meet their national representatives at NATO HQ during the lunch break.
In the afternoon, the College delegation visited the European Union’s Justus Lipsius Building. The first briefing here was by the Deputy Director General of the EU Military Staff, RADM Bruce Williams, who spoke about the role of the military within the EU. His talk included EU and NATO perspectives on the Comprehensive Approach.
The following speaker was BrigGen Walter Huhn, Senior Military Adviser in the EU Crisis Management and Planning Directorate, who gave a comprehensive briefing on the EU’s recent and ongoing CSDP missions.
At the end of the session, Ms Mercedes Garcia Perez, Head of Division for Conduct of Operations, offered a detailed update on civilian CSDP missions launched in 2012 and 2013, including EUCAP SAHEL Niger, EUAVSEC South Sudan, EUCAP NESTOR Horn of Africa and EUBAM Libya.
Each briefing was followed by a Q&A session, allowing Course Members to focus on specific points arising from the afternoon’s presentations.
SC 124 now moves to Washington DC, to begin the North American leg of the Field Study.
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