On Monday 3 October, Senior Course 119’s afternoon arrival in Berlin allowed Course Members to learn about the historical background of the ongoing German Unity Day celebrations. Salient information on the origin of the celebration, commemorating German reunification in 1990, was provided during the incoming flight by a senior German Course Member.
The following day, the NATO Defense College delegation was welcomed at the Federal Ministry of Defense by Major General Karl MÜLLNER, Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Policy and Arms Control, who addressed the group on the subject of German Security and Defence Policy and Transformation. During his talk, he underlined the importance of the Comprehensive, Preventive and Multinational Approach, and the focus on burden sharing and development of capabilities which is an integral part of such an approach. Within this framework, it was shown how Germany is constantly striving to enhance its operational partnership with NATO, while also placing a premium on efficient, flexible development of the political partnership.
Major General MÜLLNER also spoke about the need for a European Integrated Defence and Military Policy to implement the EU Battlegroup Concept, independent of the United States. He concluded his talk by illustrating Germany’s Defence Sector reform, with a major reduction in personnel.
An additional briefing, focused on German commitment to current multinational operations, was delivered by Colonel Hartmut RENK, Head of the Central Coordinating Unit of the Joint General Staff. He focused in particular on the anti-piracy activities coordinated within Operation Atalanta (covering an area 24 times larger than Germany), and on the German contribution to the ISAF Mission, where German troops are fighting asymmetrically with limited forces. In his concluding remarks, Colonel RENK underlined the importance of rapidly handing over total responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghan Government. Prospects for this transfer are expected to be discussed during the second International Conference of Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan, to be held in Bonn at the beginning of December 2011.
On the afternoon of Tuesday 4th October Course Members had the opportunity to exchange views with Mr Robert HOCHBAUM, Secretary of the German Parliamentary Defence Committee, who stressed the need for ensuring the closest possible links between the German Armed Forces and Parliament. Following this discussion, the NDC delegation was received by Mr Stephane BEEMELMANS, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Defence, who shared the floor with Lieutenant General Arne Bård DALHAUG, Commandant of the NATO Defense College.
On Wednesday 5 October, the final event in Senior Course 119’s visit to Berlin was a meeting with Dr Hans Dieter NEUMANN, President of the Federal College for Security Studies. Dr NEUMANN presented the College and introduced a lecture on Networked Security Policy and the Comprehensive Approach, which was given by Colonel Rainer MEYER.
The NDC delegation is now in London for the last stage of the European Security Perspectives Field Study.
More about the Field Study:
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 
