Blog Posts tagged with "United Kingdom"
Arctic Nations Meet to Discuss Communication, Maritime Domain Awareness Strategy
As the Arctic climate continues to change, Arctic area nations are working together to address security concerns. Recently I was honored to represent U.S. European Command at the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable (ASFR) in Bodo, Norway. The Roundtable was attend by 12 nations focused on improving communications and maritime domain awareness.
The twelve countries include: Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom and the U.S.
As the ice cover in the Arctic lessens, opportunities arise to promote a balanced approach to improving human safety and environmental security in the region through multilateral, collaborative relationships. In cooperation with our Arctic partners, USEUCOM will help develop new ideas for shared maritime domain awareness and communications.
What exactly is USEUCOM's role in the Arctic, you might wonder? Well, as a military organization, we stand ready to provide forces in support of safe, sustainable, cooperative use of the Arctic. For example, exercise NORTHERN EAGLE 2012 -- which just wrapped up a few days ago -- involved in-port and at-sea training. The exercise included communications, maritime interdiction operations, force protection, search and rescue, navigation and aviation operations, as well as ashore maritime command and control.
This is not a small commitment for any Arctic nation. The Arctic, an area of about 13 million square miles, is one of the last undiscovered regions left in the world. Though the ice melting in the Arctic sea lanes presents opportunity that can reduce travel times with new, shorter shipping routes, this change also poses unique challenges which Arctic nations must face. An increase in ship traffic means the potential for more search and rescue, pollution response and law enforcement.
As maritime traffic increases in the Arctic region, lack of adequate communication may pose a risk to the safety of maritime operations. Only 25 percent of the Arctic waters are actually mapped to modern hydrographic standards and there is no question that a shorter, more accessible shipping route will attract cargo, cruise and military vessels. These ships will have to cope with inadequate information about traversing dangerous waters. The opening of the Arctic presents opportunities to work collaboratively in multilateral forums to promote a balanced approach to improving human safety and environmental security in the region.
Maj. Gen. Mark Schissler, Director, Strategy and Policy, Headquarters USEUCOM, answers questions from Norwegian media at the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable in Bodo, Norway Aug. 29. Also pictured to the right of General Schissler is Vice Adm. Haakon Bruun-Hansen, Norwegian Joint Forces Commander. To the left is Maj. Gen. Tom Henry Knutsen, Director International Relations/Defence Staff Norway, Royal Norwegian Air Force.
At the ASFR, one of the key discussion points has been how to establish better coordination of current standard operating procedures across all Arctic security stakeholders. For example, further analysis of regional search and rescue could assist in base-lining basic communication needs across the region for safe maritime operations.
The Arctic is an area where Russia, the U.S. and other European nations can work together. The United States and USEUCOM view the Arctic as one of the main areas where we can foster closer cooperation with Russia, especially in search and rescue operations. Search and rescue is one of the most likely scenarios where shared national resources could support other sovereign nations leading a multinational effort.
I think in the past, coverage of the Arctic climate change has focused too much on the negative. In reality, nations are willing to collaborate and cooperate. The Arctic Council, Northern Chiefs of Defense meetings and ASFR are very visible examples of this cooperative spirit.
We at USEUCOM stand ready with our Arctic partners to support a safe, stable and secure Arctic region. While Arctic nations still have a long way to go in addressing communication and maritime domain awareness issues, the ASFR is a collective step in the right direction.
Maj. Gen. Mark O. Schissler
Director, Strategy and Policy
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The Most Important Week for EUCOM
Here we are in the middle of what I believe is the most important week of the year for U.S. European Command. On one end, a long weekend recently completed in honor of Memorial Day. On the other end of this important stretch of days - D-Day.
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On Duty Forever
At the US flagpole in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial (Cambridge, England), the base is inscribed with the following quote from the famous poem "In Flanders Field": "TO YOU FROM FAILING HANDS WE THROW THE TORCH -- BE YOURS TO HOLD IT HIGH!"
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Law enforcement links along the Danube River: ILEA and EUCOM
I visited the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), located on the Buda side of the Danube. I did so to better comprehend the current curriculum at ILEA and to discuss possible future collaborative training engagements. This was part of our ongoing J9 outreach efforts to meet with and understand the actions of other federal agencies, Departments, and organizations also operating in Europe and Eurasia.
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D-Day Paratrooper Keeps Watch from Church Steeple
I finally arrived in Northern France to St. Mere Eglise (SME). My hotel is located just to the outskirts of town and was an easy walk into the town square. It is a surreal feeling to walk through such a historic location without the aid of an Xbox game controller while playing the latest Call of Duty video game or through a production that either starred or was directed by Tom Hanks. Here it was in real life and it really feels like history is alive here.This small town was founded in the 11th century but will forever be known as one of the first towns to be liberated from Nazi Germany by the Allied Forces during the Normandy landings to include the 82nd Airborne and U.S. 101st Airborne Divisions on June 6th, 1944.
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Operation Moshtarak
And so began the Afghan-NATO offensive into Helmad province, known as Operation Moshtarak – which translates roughly as “Together.” We are focusing on the area around a town called Marjah, where there has historically been a great deal of insurgent activity and heroin production.
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Americans and British Gather Together to Pay Homage to American Veterans
Did you know there are over 23 million United States veterans still living today and more than 25 million who are no longer with us? Did you know more the 621,000 Americans gave their lives in battle?
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Joint Honor Guard Experience at the NFL Game in London
I had a pretty exciting day Sunday as I had the privilege of traveling to London, England, with the Joint Intelligence Operations Center Europe Analytic Center Joint Honor Guard. The Honor Guard was invited to the NFL game to present the colors and I couldn’t wait to experience this with them!
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Three Days in Afghanistan
In three busy days in Afghanistan, I focused on Helmand province and the British and U.S. Marine Corps forces. Over the course of lunch with the provincial Governor - a man in his early 60s and a survivor of many challenging events in Afghanistan - I talked with him about the needs of the district.
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Back to sea!
The NATO Sea Day – held only once every two years – was an unqualified success. The object is to bring to sea the key decision makers in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: the Secretary General and his Deputy; the entire Permanent Representatives from NATO’s decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council (all 28 nations of course have an ambassador-rank official assigned to Brussels); the Military Committee (each Chief of Defense – those of us from the U.S. would say Chairman of the Joint Chiefs – is a member, and each has a full-time, very senior representative in Brussels); and key personnel from the operational staff, i.e. Allied Command Operations / Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.
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