NATO and partner nations will conduct Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 in Latvia and in Poland from 2 - 9 November 2013. The event will mark the culmination of a series of dynamic and demanding exercises designed to train and test troops and commanders from the NATO Response Force (NRF). The Steadfast series of exercises are part of NATO's efforts to maintain connected and interoperable forces at a high-level of readiness. To know more about Steadfast Jazz 2013: http://sj13.nato.int/steadfast-jazz.aspx

Students at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies attending a joint course about weapons of mass destruction and terrorism were given a tour of German facilities and people that respond to the aftermath of such threats in Munich. German Air Force sergeant Mark Winkler reports.

The military is occasionally called upon to provide life saving assistance in times of disaster. I’ve blogged over the past few years about our involvement in fires, floods and earthquakes. These disasters, and the military’s role in them, receive much attention. But the military is also routinely involved in capacity building projects which often do not get the same level of coverage.

As we learn time and again, Mother Nature demands our respect. Although the core competency of militaries is not humanitarian work, we are sometimes called upon to help respond to natural disasters, providing life-saving support to affected communities.

In the last three years, social media revolutionized the way we communicate with each other across the globe.  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and thousands of other social networking sites allow people with shared interests to form communities on the web regardless of location, background and beliefs.  EVERYONE can participate.

LEGHORN ARMY DEPOT, Italy — The 3/405th AFSB has shipped more humanitarian aid supplies to Haiti at the request of the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID requested that the battalion ship 4,000 rolls of plastic sheeting via various transportation routes to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

PAPA AIR BASE, Hungary -- The Multinational Strategic Airlift Capability Heavy Airlift Wing conducted its third humanitarian relief mission to Haiti .

NATO AIR BASE GEILENKIRCHEN, Germany — A NATO Trainer Cargo Aircraft (TCA) left Geilenkirchen Air Base with a humanitarian relief camp module from the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), Jan. 27

LEGHORN ARMY DEPOT, Italy -- The 3/405th Army Field Support Brigade completed operations in support of U.S. Agency for International Development emergency relief efforts in Haiti, Jan. 18.

NAPLES, Italy - Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Capodichino firefighters assisted Naples International Airport (NAP) firefighters in an annual Federal Aviation Administration certification drill April 8 at the Capodichino airport.