I spent a couple of good days in Bern, the capital of Switzerland last week. The Swiss, are -- of course -- famously neutral in terms of international politics. Yet they are good partners with NATO in places like Kosovo in the Balkans, where we see over 200 exceptionally professional Swiss soldiers supporting peace by ensure a safe and secure environment in Kosovo.
MURNAU, Germany (Apr. 27, 2012) - Musician 3rd Class Andrew Francisco (right), Musician 2nd Class Vincent Moody, and Musician 3rd Class Patrick Pedlar, members of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band's brass band 'Topside' perform at a public concert in Murnau. U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band was in Murnau for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Military Music Festival that included bands from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Oman.
GARMISCH, Germany (Apr. 28, 2012) - Ensign Christopher Cornette conducts the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band during a performance at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Military Music Festival. The U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band was invited to perform at the music festival that included bands from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Oman.
GARMISCH, Germany (Apr. 28, 2012) - The U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band performs with the massed bands during the finale of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Military Music Festival. The U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band was invited to perform at the music festival that included bands from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Oman.
Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as a neutral intermediary and host to major international treaty conferences.
Nearly 1,400 participants of more than 40 countries and organizations gathered at the Joint Multinational Simulations Center (JMSC) at Grafenwoehr Training Area for the U.S. European Command’s (EUCOM’s) exercise, Combined Endeavor 2010, the world’s largest military communications and information systems exercise, Sept. 2-16.
It is autumn, harvest time here in southern Germany. People are celebrating what has been planted in the spring with fests in Munich, Stuttgart and even in smaller towns like Garmisch-Partenkirchen where I have been for the last three days.
As you have read previously in this blog, Combined Endeavor is the world’s largest international Command, Control, Communications & Computers (C4) exercise. Participants of CE09 include nations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Partnership for Peace (PfP) or other International Organisations. In recent years most NATO and PfP Nations have been taking part in Peace Supporting Operations (PSOs). Over 1000 participants from more than 40 nations take part in two weeks of intensive technical testing.