ALLIED COMMAND TRANSFORMATION

Q&A with Major General Kjell Ove Skare, Norwegian Army, Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Implementation, Allied Command Transformation.
by Marty Kauchak, MT2 Editor

Q: What role does training play in Allied Command Tranformation’s [ACT] mission “to lead NATO transformation”?

A: Our role at ACT is to be a catalyst for change and harmonize the nations’ transformational efforts, but real change happens in the nations’ capitals. Transformation depends on the power of ideas. Military transformation occurs when we change the way we think and approach security challenges, and training therefore becomes the primary way to achieve change. Although transformation normally is considered a long-term issue, we clearly see that being involved in operations—like Afghanistan—is causing us to think anew, to anticipate and adapt to the vexing security challenges facing our alliance. At the same time we are working on the long-term transformational solutions where training is the most important factor of fielding a new capability.

Q: What type of training support does ACT provide to NATO missions and operations?

A: All activities at ACT are focused on preparing NATO to confront existing and emerging 21st century security threats. At the same time we need to understand that the forces NATO will use in operations are provided by the nations, which are responsible for their training. When the ISAF operation was initiated NATO operational requirements led NATO to initiate training in areas where the nations did not have initial capabilities. We therefore train the Joint Force Commands for NATO Response Force [NRF] tasks, we train the International Security Assistance Force [ISAF] headquarters before deployment to Kabul, we trained one of the regional commands [RCs] in ISAF this year, and we expect to train more RCs next year. We deliver courses through Advanced Distributed Learning, deliver operational mentor and liaison team training on Kandak [infantry battalion as it is called in Afghanistan]-level and will deliver on brigade-level course from this fall. We conduct a provincial reconstruction team course, as well as a number of functional courses, and we are spending many resources on staying updated in order to deliver good counter-improvised explosive device [CIED] training.

Q: How does technology feature in ACT’s future training plans?

A: Conflict is a human endeavor. Delivering properly trained troops is a precondition to the success of the overall mission. At the same time we see that technology is a very valuable tool for improving the quality of training. Our major effort in modeling and simulation is the Snow Leopard Program—aimed at connecting operational and tactical level simulation in a distributed system where NATO commands and nations can connect with their own command and control systems, and train for the very challenging scenarios we see enfolding in the future. We will use first elements of Snow Leopard in a NATO exercise this fall.

Q: What type of training does ACT provide to the NATO Response Force?

A: Primarily we train the Joint Force Commands in their NRF role, and we’re now in discussions with SHAPE on how to adjust this training to accommodate the deployable joint staff elements development. This training is conducted at Joint Warfare Center, Norway, and I am happy to say that we get very good feedback from the training audience after these training events.

Q: How is ACT preparing NATO partners and forces to defeat asymmetric threats?

A: The enemy gets a vote in the kind of wars we fight. He is unpredictable and, as we see in Afghanistan and Iraq, he has returned warfare to a primitive state. Today’s challenges and threats are not strictly military in nature, solved or countered by military means alone. So we are looking at multiple initiatives, ranging from the very concrete threat of IEDs, developing conceptual solutions like the Joint Urban Ops Concept, adapting our training to new operational requirements, and facilitating cooperation and information sharing with international and non-governmental organizations.

Q: Describe how ACT is transforming the training capabilities of NATO’s newest member nations.

A: The single most important lesson we’ve learned at ACT is that individual nations lead transformation. Some of the best ideas come from the smallest militaries. We are responding to requests for support from the nations, but as we don’t have the resources in house to solve all challenges, we act as facilitators for bilateral solutions. We clearly aim at working closely with Albania and Croatia in order to develop good plans for their integration into the alliance, and we will continue to involve nations and assist the members in developing interoperable capabilities.

Q: What are some of NATO’s other training challenges and how is ACT addressing them?

A: We recognize that the post-Cold War change in the strategic and operational environments calls for a thorough review of the NATOwide Education Training Exercises and Evaluation [ETEE] policy; in particular the balance between NATO and national responsibilities and the delineation of roles within the NATO command structure. We have initiated the ETEE review in close collaboration with Allied Command Operations. Later this year we expect to deliver to nations and NATO Headquarters a group of proposals on how NATO can improve training to best prepare the alliance for current and future challenges.