On 4 May 2012 Senior Course 120 continued the North American leg of its Transatlantic Field Study at the Headquarters of Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in Norfolk, Virginia. The NDC group was welcomed by the ACT Chief of Staff, Admiral JOHNSTONE-BURT, who provided some initial background on ACT’s role and the programme for the visit.
The session began with a command briefing by Commander Constantine LIMBERIS (GRC N), who provided a comprehensive overview of ACT’s roles and functions, different perspectives on the transformational role it plays through capability development, strategic thinking, training and education, and its support to NATO operations.
Once ACT had been placed in perspective by this introduction, the following speakers enlarged on the Command’s various roles and engaged in brief discussion sessions with Course Members.
The first briefing, by Mr Angel San Jose MARTIN (ESP C), examined NATO’s capability development, modelling, simulation, and the ongoing collaboration with the NATO Defense College on serious gaming. Captain Morten SVINNDAL (NOR N) then gave a detailed account of NATO’s education and training policy, dwelling on its requirements and status as well as on the implementation of a training integration plan. After this, Lieutenant Colonel DE KERPEL (BEL A) focused on strategic thinking and the teamwork needed to develop it throughout the Alliance as a whole. Mr Peter DAHL (USA C) then updated Course Members on ACT’s budget issues and their implications for the new NATO structure, expanding on the previous discussions with a specialist perspective on resource challenges and ACT support to resource reform. The final briefing was by Lieutenant Colonel Alex LENHART (DEU A), who spoke of developments in the NATO Defence Planning Process to improve Alliance capabilities.
Concluding the visit, Admiral JOHNSTONE-BURT was joined by flag and general officers from the key ACT areas for an informative panel discussion. SC 120 Course Members engaged this panel of senior leaders in a wide-ranging dialogue, focusing on major issues such as NATO transformation, future Alliance capabilities, budget constraints, Smart Defence and the way to the Chicago Summit.
In the afternoon the NDC group had the opportunity to visit the USS Ballistic Missile Defense destroyer MAHAN and were briefed on the new Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense capability.
More about the Field Study:
NATO Defense College 