20 July 2012 Enhancing Performance and Security by Gender focused Education The NATO School hosted the two day conference "Teaching Gender to the Military – In the Classroom and through Advanced Distributed Learning" from 18-19 July in Oberammergau, Germany. The conference was chaired by Ms. Anja H Ebnöther, Assistant Director at Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) and responsible for coordinating the Gender and Security programme. Colonel Mark D. Baines (USA A), Commandant at the NATO School said in his opening remarks that supporting such a conference was an important event for his school as it was vital to discuss and enhance the gender issue and gender diversity in the military. <full story>
20 July 2012 Multinational Table Top Exercise to prepare for East African Field Training Exercise NATO School Oberammergau provided facilities to support the maritime multinational table-top exercise from 16 through 19 July that is part of the up-coming Cutlass Express field-training exercise at the beginning of November at the East African Coast. The event is sponsored by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM). <full story>
18 June 2012 Crisis Management Course The second iteration of the NATO Crisis Management Course at the NATO School Oberammergau was successfully completed on 15 June. It regularly takes place three times a year. Nearly 70 students attended the NATO unclassified course between 11 to 15 June. <full story>
15 June 2012 Croatian Defense Academy Hosted A NATO School Course For the third time in the last four years the Croatian Defence Academy and NATO School Oberammergau cooperated in delivering the ACO Combat Readiness Evaluation (CREVAL) Course for Land Forces from 11 to 15 June. It was conducted at the Croatian Defence Academy "Petar Zrinski" barracks in Zagreb. <full story>
11 June 2012 PTEC Community met in Italy to discuss further cooperation From 4th to 7th of June 2012 representatives from 11 of 24 Partnership Training and Education Centers (PTEC) met with representatives from NATO School Oberammergau during the second PTEC Working Group this year at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (IIHL) in Sanremo, Italy. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Bauer (AUT-A) from the NATO School chaired the meeting. <full story>
28 May 2012 African NCOs visited the NATO School In the course of a Joint Warrant Officer / Senior Non Commissioned Officer Symposium held at the George C. Marshall Centre in Garmisch Partenkirchen / Germany from 21 to 25 May the NATO School Oberammergau hosted 34 Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from the African continent on Thursday, 24 May. The whole event was organized by Headquarter U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). 22 of 54 African nations were represented at this symposium. <full story>
24 May 2012 Combining Efforts Is Key To Success The NATO School Oberammergau hosted the bi-annual Combined Training Conference (CTC) from 21 through 23 May. US Army Europe Commanding General Lieutenant General Mark Hertling opened the CTC. The conference was attended by over 200 representatives from more than 31 nations. The conference is an opportunity to combine resources and needs in order to maximize training opportunities across Europe. <full story>
14 May 2012 METT To V US Corps
The NATO School executed a Mobile Education Training Team (METT) at the V US Corps in Wiesbaden / Germany from 7-11 May 2012 under the direction of Team Chief and Course Director LTC Ben de Kok (NLD-A). 23 students from the V US Corps Wiesbaden ranging from Colonel to Senior NCO received the NATO Logistics Course. The intent of this course was to provide an overview of logistic disciplines, as well as NATO Logistic policy, principles, doctrine, procedures and structures. Most of the Students are planned for Afghanistan Mission End of May.
04 May 2012 Chaplains Discussed War and Ethics Two students from South Africa joined the discussions 24 chaplains from NATO and its partners attended the Chaplain Operations Course at the NATO School in Oberammergau between 30 April and 04 May. Among them were two students from South Africa. <full story>
01 May 2012 NATO School First Time in Poland The first time in the NATO School history, at the invitation of the Polish Operational Command, a NATO School Mobile Education and Training Team (METT) executed two courses for the Polish Armed Forces in Warsaw in the facilities of the Military University of Technology between 16 April and 27 April. The METT was led by Team Chief Lieutenant Colonel Zbigniew Czarnota (POL A). <full story>
30 April 2012 Training and Education in Paris A Mobile Education Training Team (METT) executed the NATO Staff Officer / NCO Orientation Course at the War College on request of Ecole Militaire Specialise Outre Mer et Etranger (EMSOME) in Paris between 24th and 27th April. 183 French Officers and Non Commissioned Officers who are newly assigned to their NATO posts attended the course. <full story>
10 April 2012 US Ambassador to Slovakia visited NATO School On Tuesday 10 April the US Ambassador to Slovakia, Theodore Sedgwick, paid a visit to the NATO School in conjunction with a visit to the George C Marshall Center in Garmisch. Colonel Enrico Werner (DEU A), Deputy Commandant of the NATO School, welcomed him and DCOS Lieutenant Colonel John Leigh (UK RM) provided him with a briefing about the NATO School. <full story>
23 March 2012 NATO School contributed to Security Jam From 19 -23 March, a NATO School team took part in the Security Jam, an online collaboration platform to share views on pressing security & defence issues in eight discussion forums. The aim was to provide global leaders with innovative ideas ahead of the NATO and G8 summits in Chicago in May 2012. <full story>
02 March 2012 Partnership Training and Education Centers met in Austria Representatives from 15 of 23 Partnership Training and Education Centers (PTEC) and PTEC-candidates met with representatives from NATO School Oberammergau and other NATO entities during the first PTEC Working Group of 2012 from 27 February until 1 March 2012. The working group was hosted by the Austrian International Centre (AUTINT) in Goetzendorf, Austria. Only recently the PTEC Marketplace (to the article) took place in Brussels where most of the centres took the opportunity to introduce themselves to the wider NATO community. <full story>
16 February 2012 NATO HQ and NATO School hosted the Marketplace Most of the 23 Partnership Training and Education Centres (PTEC) that currently make up the network of the PTEC community took part in an annual networking event known as the "Marketplace" at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 15 and 16 February. It was organized by NATO HQ and NATO School. Partnership Training and Education Centres (PTEC) play an essential role in supporting NATO's objectives for partnership with non-member countries. Initially launched in 1999 under the Partnership for Peace programme to develop training and education activities with Euro-Atlantic partners, activities have since been opened to participation of all partners. <full story>
13 February 2012 First time in the Ukraine For the very first time a NATO School (NSO) team travelled to the Ukraine between 06 and 10 February to support the NATO Defence College Rome by delivering a series of strategic and operational level lectures at the Ukrainian National Defence University (UNDU) in Kyiv. This activity was part of the "12th International Week". <full story>
10 February 2012 SACT opened the Senior Officer Policy Course One of NATO School's flagship courses, the Senior Officer Policy Course, was recently held again in Oberammergau between 06th and 10th February. General Stéphane Abrial (FRA-AF), Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, and General Manfred Lange, Chief of Staff SHAPE, were invited to open the course. <full story>
07 February 2012 NATO School at KAZCENT PfP Training Center A Mobile Education Training Team (METT) from the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) executed a one week course at the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Training Center KAZCENT in Almaty, Kazakhstan between 30 January and 03 February 2012. The METT were under the direction of Team Chief Lieutenant Colonel Lionel de Langeron and Course Director Major Stephen Serniak. Ten additional NSO personnel have been mobilized to execute this mission. <full story>
06 February 2012 Being a CSEL is a matter of trust The Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course held between 30 January and 10 February at the NATO School Oberammergau attracted numerous Command Sergeant Majors assigned to NATO units and other national units to be educated in their area of responsibility. The aim of the CSEL course is to prepare NCOs (Non Commissioned Officers) designated by their nation to serve in the national or NATO structure in a position as NCO next to the commander. The course provided updates on the current status of operations, NATO structure, procedures, the NATO NCO, tools and networks available to use, while assuming the responsibility as Command Senior Enlisted Leader in an international setting. <full story>
31 January 2012 Operational Planning course in Vienna The NATO School executed a two-week Mobile Education Training Team (METT) at the National Defence Academy – Austria (Landesverteidigungsakademie), in Vienna, Austria from 9-20 January 2012 under the direction of Team Chief and Course Director Major Jeremy DiGioia (USA-A). Twenty-six students from the General Staff Officer Course ranging from Captain to Colonel (OF2 to OF5) received the NATO Operational Planning Course. The intent of this course was to prepare the students for roles as members of a Joint Operational Planning Group or other related staff sections within a NATO military headquarters that will plan and conduct NATO operations. The Landesverteidigungsakademie is the highest military training and research institution of the Austrian Armed Forces.<full story>
30 January 2012 1500 Euros Donations to Social Institutions On Tuesday, 17 January the NATO School welcomed the representatives of the Bundeswehr Charity Association (Bundeswehrsozialwerk) and the Oberammergau Food Bank to hand over 1500 Euros donations collected at the Advent Concert held on 29 November 2011. The NATO School Commandant Colonel Mark Baines (USA-A), the Deputy Commandant Colonel Enrico Werner (DEU-A) and Mayor Arno Nunn from Oberammergau presented the Bundeswehr Charity Association represented by Sergeant Major Armin Sturani with a cheque of 500 Euros and Ms Ilse Göhmann from the Oberammergau Food Bank with a check of 1000 Euros. The community of Oberammergau rounded up the amount to 1500 Euros. Ilse Göhmann urgently needs the money as she stated: "I am surprised how many people in Oberammergau are dependent on additional groceries." She runs together with 12 voluntary assistants once a week the Oberammergau Food Bank to help indigent people. The Bundeswehr Charity Association will use the money to support soldiers and their families who are in need. <full story>
23 January 2012 First NATO wide Protocol course conducted UN Chief Protocol as keynote speaker NATO School Oberammergau ran a Protocol Course for the first time between 16 and 20 January 2012. This pilot course was based on the recently endorsed NATO Protocol Guide. Tobias Streibl, Chief of Protocol NATO School and Course Director, invited subject matter experts from different NATO institutions to teach various topics and themes mentioned in the guidelines. The course aim was to provide Protocol Branch Heads, Officers and staff with knowledge, skills and attitude pertaining to NATO specific Protocol elements in an international environment. <full story>
20 January 2012 Partnership: A tool for diplomacy On 18 and 19 January 2012, about 200 attendees from 60 different nations discussed improving cooperation between NATO and its partners on the occasion of the NATO's Partnerships Symposium at the NATO School Oberammergau. The symposium was co-chaired by NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Ambassador Dirk Brengelmann and by NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges Ambassador Gabor Iklody. <full story>
13 January 2012 Austerity as the Key Driver for DPS 2012 The NATO School traditionally starts its new year as the host for the Defence Planning Symposium (DPS). On Tuesday 10 January Ambassador Hüseyin Diriöz, the Chairman of the Defence Planning Symposium, opened this annual event by making some introductory comments and outlining the agenda. The keynote speaker was General Sir Richard Shirreff (UK A), Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.<full story>
27 December 2011 Red Cross Upgrades its Cooperation with NATO School On 14 December a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), led by Aleardo Ferreti, met with the NATO School Commandant, Colonel Mark Baines (USA A) and his command personnel in order to deepen the future cooperation between the NATO School Oberammergau and the ICRC. <full story>
23 December 2011 ISAF Spokesperson taught PA Course Brigadier General Carsten Jacobsen (DEU A), the current ISAF spokesman, presented to the Public Affairs in Operations Course on Monday, 12 December.
As the "face" of ISAF he is always the point of contact for all media related topics in ISAF, especially when an incident of alleged collateral damage occurs. His daily business mostly consists of recording messages, conducting press conferences and providing interviews. At the first glance this may not appear very spectacular, but General Jacobsen's message was that as a Public Affairs spokesman you have to "be alarmed - be alert - be ready." <full story>
23 December 2011 NATO School Promotes Charity Events Numerous charitable events were conducted and supported by the NATO School before Christmas to collect donations, gifts and other items. It started with an annual giving event at the Oberammergau Christkindl Market during the first Sunday in Advent where NATO School spouses sold international craftwork as a gesture of goodwill and friendship from the NATO School community to the local host community of Oberammergau. <full story>
22 December 2011 METT at Eurocorps Headquarter From 25 until 28 October 2011, NATO School METT (Mobile Education and Training Team) conducted an ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team Course (N2-09) at the "Eurocorps Headquarter" in Strasbourg under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Salvatore Tine (ITA-A) as Team Chief and Course Director. <full story>
25 November 2011 “Security is about building bridges” Unique Forum to discuss ISAF related training
The NATO School (NSO) hosted the second "Combined Training Conference" on behalf of JFC HQ Brunssum and HQ US Army Europe between the 14th and the 17th November in Oberammergau. Supreme Allied Commander Europe US Admiral James Stavridis dual-hatted as Commander of US European Command and French Army Lieutenant General Olivier de Bavinchove, Chief of Staff of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander of Eurocorps addressed the audience. <full story>
25 November 2011 The Need for Building Integrity Between 07 and 11 November the Defence Leadership Building Integrity Course at the NATO School Oberammergau welcomed many experienced students to strengthen the foundation for leadership, integrity, good governance and management within the defence and security sectors by sharing experiences, challenges, and best practices among nations in order to enhance professionalism. Among them was Mr Abdesselam Aboudrar, (MAR-CIV) the Chairman of Central Authority for Corruption Prevention of Morocco. <full story>
18 November 2011 NATO National HUMINT Representatives met at NATO School Between 15 and 16 Nov 2011 the NATO Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Working Group (NHWG) convened for the 13th meeting session hosted for the first time by NATO School in Oberammergau. A large participation consisting of 44 representatives from 22 NATO Nations and 11 NATO organizations demonstrates the high interest shown by the Nations and NATO Commands regarding HUMINT (Human Intelligence), which is defined as 'a category of intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources', a very valuable intelligence provider for NATO decision makers at all levels. <full story>
17 November 2011 NATO Knowledge by Mobile NATO Orientation Course Sixty six NATO personnel attended the week-long NATO Orientation Course held at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA between 31 October and 04 November. Its aim is to provide foundation knowledge on NATO including structure, policies and operations, as well as current issues affecting the Alliance. <full story>
04 November 2011 Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Defence lectures at the NATO School Avgustina Tzvetkova, Deputy Minister of Defense (DMoD) of Bulgaria visited the NATO School Oberammergau to speak to the Defense Leadership in Building Integrity Course that was conducted from 31 Oct - 4 Nov 2011. The subject of her talk was the new anti-corruption programme in the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense. <full story>
28 October 2011 Discussions on Nuclear Doctrine and Strategy A two day NATO-Russia Council seminar on nuclear doctrine and strategy was held at the NATO School Oberammergau on 27 and 28 October. Besides the NATO School Commandant Colonel Mark Baines, the seminar chairman Mr. Fred S. Frederickson, Director Nuclear Policy at NATO Headquarter International Staff and the highest Russian representative Mr. Andrey Evgenievich Sterlin opened the conference. <full story>
26 October 2011 Partnership Training and Education Centres Commandant's Conference The NATO School Commandant, Colonel Mark D. Baines (USA-A) chaired the 12th Annual Conference of the Partnerships Training and Education Centres Commandant's Conference (PTC CC) at Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) in Geneva/CHE from 17th to 20th October. 40 participants from Partnership Training and Education Centres, NATO HQ and NATO School attended. 23 Centres are represented at the conference, and it is now an established forum for discussion the training and education that PTCs provide to Allies and Partners. <full story>
20 October 2011 NATO School Command Visit to United Nations Office Geneva NATO School hosted the Partnership Training Centre Conference of Commandants in Geneva during the week 17-21 October, and whilst in Geneva, Colonel Mark D. Baines was granted an office call with His Excellency Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Director-General of the United Nations Office. They discussed the importance of improving and expanding cooperation between the UN and NATO, and the central role of training and education in that process. <full story>
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