Blog Posts tagged with "France"
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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D-Day remembrance: A different side of the story
Many stories about World War II have been told, but many more have not.
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Because they served…
As a mother and military spouse, with three very active children, our household is much like any other family: the hustle and bustle of everyday life often distracts us from realizing how lucky we really are. In the few quiet moments I have, I often give thanks for being an American in the 21st century. Although these quiet moments are too few and far between, I realize that my right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” wasn’t just handed to me, but fought for by the many who served and died.
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67th anniversary of D-Day: A living history book
I'll admit I've never been big on history, but there's something surreal about visiting the tiny villages our American Soldiers helped liberate 67 years ago. After meeting several D-Day veterans, walking on the beaches where thousands fought and died, and seeing the steep cliffs where they encountered enemy fire made history real for me. It's no longer just a documentary or war movie on television.
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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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Memorial Day in Brittany: Finding our Family
Last year my grandfather died on the anniversary of D-Day. Pop was never in the military, but his older brother Chester, was and he fought on the fields of France. He’s buried in Brittany and it is him who I choose to honor in this Memorial Day blog.
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NATO's Challenges and Achievements in Afghanistan
Last week I completed my sixth trip to Afghanistan since becoming SACEUR. As always, I was struck by the challenges we face – corruption, ANSF attrition, and IEDs to name a few. More importantly, however, I am encouraged by the progress I saw during my visit and am more convinced than ever than we can succeed in Afghanistan.
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Jumping In
I’m finally back home after nearly two weeks on the road and it has been more than a week now since I jumped into Iron Mike Drop Zone in Normandy, France to commemorate the 66th Anniversary of D-Day. I’ll never forget the experience – not just because of the historic significance, but also because of those that jumped with me that day. As you probably well know, British, Canadian and American forces jumped to secure the Allied flanks on D-Day, but personnel from Australia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Poland also took part in the landings. On D-Day 66, I hit the ground, collected my parachute, and then walked off the drop zone with British, French, Polish, Dutch, German and fellow Americans paratroopers surrounding me. On my aircraft alone, we had Dutch, German and Polish paratroopers and I earned both the Dutch and Polish jump wings that day.
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Passing the legacy of American troops one generation at a time
Last year when I attended the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion, I left Normandy, France feeling the proudest I’ve ever been wearing the U.S. Army uniform. So this year when I boarded the MC-130 Shadow aircraft to Normandy, I was excited to return to a place where the American Soldier is so adored and appreciated.
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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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A Memorial Day to Remember: On the Road to D-Day Anniversary
I was deep in the heart of France yesterday during Memorial Day as I'm on my way to provide support for the events scheduled in commemoration of the 66th anniversary of D-Day. I left out from our U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and stopped at the halfway point on the way to the beaches of Normandy.
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The World to the North
I just completed an excellent visit to Canada, our neighbor and NATO partner just north of the United States. As every U.S. citizen learns in elementary school, we sit side-by-side along the longest undefended border in the world, completely at peace with good friends who live in a land of remarkable beauty and culture.
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Defense Ministerial
I’ve just returned from Bratislava, Slovakia where the NATO Fall '09 Defense Ministerial was held, followed by an official visit to Slovakian senior defense leaders.
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What a week!
I started last week in Lisbon, on the heels of a trip to Stuttgart the previous Friday for staff briefings at European Command (EUCOM) and EUCOM's Annual Summer Reception, which included a spectacular concert with an Elvis Presley impersonator in full U.S. Army regalia!
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Community outreach onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)
Today, I have the opportunity to escort military and community leaders from Poland and Germany aboard the “Ike” and I can’t think of a better platform to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to building partnerships here in Europe. It’s my sincere hope that our guests walk away with a greater appreciation and understanding of that commitment.
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