Carabinieri at the entrance to the Coliege.

The NATO Defense College

NATO DEFENSE COLLEGE

«UNITATEM ALENTES » «FOR UNITY WE STRIVE»

HISTORY

The NATO Defense College was established in Paris in 1951 on the basis of a proposal made by General Eisen­ hower, who foresaw the need for a new institution with a unique training mission. In a message to the Standing Group*, footnote requi­ red at end of page, General Eisenhower wrote: «.... There is a high priority requirement to develop indivi­ duals, both on the military and civilian side, who will ha­ ve a thorough grasp of the manylicated comp factors which are involved in the problem of creating an adequa­ te defence posture for the North Atlantic Treaty area. The venture upon which we are now embarked is so new to al lof us, and the problems which it raises are on such a different scale from those which have hitherto confron­ ted the member nations, that we are continually faced with a necessity for exploring new approaches and for broadening our points of view. This means that we must constantly be on the lookout for individuals who are ca­ pable of adapting themselves to this new environment and who find it possible in a reasonably short time to

* The Standing Group was replaced in 1966 by the NATO Military Committee.

5 broaden their outlook and to grasp the essentials of this challenging problem sufficiently to shoulder the respon­ sibilities inherent in this new field. These considerations have brought me to the conclu­ sions that it is highly desirable to establish in the near future a NATO Defense College for the training of indivi­ duals who will be needed to serve in key capacities in NATO organizations». The North Atlantic Council quickly recognized the ur­ gent need to develop individuals who would meet this re­ quirement and approved General Eisenhower’s proposal. On 19th November 1951, the NATO Defense College, under its first Commandant, Admiral Lemonnier of the French Navy, opened its doors to the members of Course 1 in the «Artillerie» Wing of the Ecole Militaire. The NATO Defense College was to remain in Paris un­ til 1966 when France withdrew from the integrated milita­ ry structure of the Alliance. The College was then tran­ sferred to Rome where, in the suburb of EUR, it conti­ nues to fulfil the role which it has been assigned.

MISS ION

NATO Military Committee guidance calls for the Colle­ ge to conduct informative courses of study on military, political, economic, technological, geographical, socio­ logical and psychological factors and problems which affect or may affect the North Atlantic Treaty Organiza­ tion. The courses are attended by selected personnel who may in the future be required to perform important duties in or associated with NATO.

6 The firs t Course (19.11.1951 — 16.5.1952) was opened in the presence of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. On his right is Ad­ m iral A. Lemonnier, the first Commandant of the NATO Defense C ollege.

The courses covere thfollowing range of subjects: a. the aims and policies of the Alliance,r ategic its st concept, organization and functions; b. the geographical, political and military characteri­ stics of member nations and current defence, techno­ logical and economic problems which affectO NAT policy and planning; c. developments outside the NATO area andeir im th pli­ cations for the Alliance; d. orientation in defence management; e. practice in the English and French languages.

7 ORGANIZATION OF THE COLLEGE

The College is a NATO institution under the direction of the NATO Military Committee. It comprises Com­ mand, Faculty andS taff personnel, both military and ci­ vilian, appointed by their governmentsr sfor of tou duty of about three years, a permanent staff of international civilian personnel selected from the member nations, and host nation administrative supportl .personne The College is commanded by an officer holding the rank of Lieutenant General or civilian equivalent selec­ ted from candidates proposed to the Military Committee by NATO member nations. The Commandant is assisted by three Deputy Commandants (two military and one civi­ lian) holding the rank of Major General, Brigadier Gene­ ral or equivalent. They are selected by the Commandant from candidates proposed by the member nations, sub­ ject to the Military Committee’s approval. The Comman­ dant appoints one of his Deputy Commandants as Direc­ tor of Studies, another as Director of Special Projects and External Relations, and the third (who is always from the host nation) as Director of Management. A Chef de Cabinet, who is a Colonel or equivalent, is responsible for supervising the work of the Commandant’s personal staff and the overall organization and smooth running of the College. The faculty is composed largely of military officers of the different services and civilian officials (normally ca­ reer diplomats) of the rank of Colonel or equivalent, ope­ rating under the supervision of the Director of Studies. Most of them are appointed as Faculty Advisers in char­ ge of committees and are responsible for guiding the work of the committees. A few are charged with plan­ ning, executive staff duties and research.

8 The international civilianrsonnel pe ensure the func­ tioning of the various supportervices of s the College (in­ terpretation, translation, documentation, library, budget and finance, personnel administration and general cleri­ cal support). The host nation support personnel are commanded by the Headquarters Commandant, an Italian army officer, and are responsible for most of the logistic services, transportation and the manning of the College Mess. The students (called members) are, of course, the «rai­ son d’etre» for the College. They are chosen by their go­ vernments for each course according to national quotas totalling about 60 members per course. They are either service officers holding the rank of Colonel, Lieutenant­ Colonel or occasionally Majors, or civilians of equivalent rank. Most of the civilian officials are diplomats from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; however, other ministries, whose activities are related to the problems of the Allian­ ce, may also send representatives. Members are required to be fluent in English or French.

THE COURSE

The College seeks to accomplish its mission by orga­ nizing a course which will enable members to broaden their horizons and enhance their capacity for analysis. The approach is to examine firstly the basic concept of security and the major «power factors» that condition and define it. This concept is developed in the early stu­ dy periods so that in later periods it can be applied by the members themselves in their approach to the material presented to them. Thus the concept provides a useful

9 frame of reference for analyses carried out by the action- oriented military officers, diplomats and civil servants who make up the student body of the NATO Defense Col­ lege.

At the same time it underlines the importance of theore­ tical analysis in the pratical decision-making process in which the members will be engaged when they leave the College.

The very broad scope of subjects included in the curri­ culum reflects an awareness that national and interna­ tional security depend on an increasingly wide range of factors and variables, many of which were not included in earlier calculations of national power and national se­ curity. Therefore, while not neglecting the traditional measures of military strength and the role of the armed forces in securing national objectives, the course also examines in detail the economic, psychological and ideological elements of power and/orlnerability. vu Simi­ larly, Western security is increasingly affected by fac­ tors and events outside the geographical boundaries of the Alliance and the Warsaw Pact. In recognition of this, and within rather severe time constraints, the course examines major countries, regions, institutions and de­ velopments in the rest of the world, with particular em­ phasis on assessing the likely consequences and impli­ cations for the long term security of the Alliance.

To illustrate: the Academic Programme for recent courses at the College has been divided into eight study periods, structured as follows:

The first study period deals with international rela­ tions and NATO fundamentals. It includes a review of the historical events leading up to the present situation bet-

12 ween the West and the Warsaw Pact; it also acquaints members with the structure and workings of the Alliance as well as with the evolution of its security concept. The following three study periods deal with the power factors — military, economic, psychological and ideolo­ gical — which come into play in both NATO and Warsaw Pact strategy. These factors all influence defence, dome­ stic and foreign policy, and thereby have a considerable impact on international relations generally.

The next two study periods cover, respectively, the USSR and Eastern Europe, and basic relationships with­ in the Alliance. The following study period deals with NATO and the Warsaw Pact, including the relations between the two blocs, arms control, and the impact of science and tech­ nology on security.

The final study period concerns a much wider area' examining the developing power centres outsideO NAT and the Warsaw Pact, with particular emphasis on the implications of these power centres for the long term se­ curity of the Alliance.

TEACHING METHODS

The three basic methods selected to implement the academic programme have remained relatively constant since the College was founded. They are, namely, the daily lectures, committee work and instructional tours. In addition, morning English and French classes ensu­ re that members from different nations gain maximum

13 The NATO Defense oCllege in Rome (from 1967) advantage from the instruction given at the College and improve their ability to express themselves in the NATO languages. The daily lectures normally take place in the morning. These are given by high-ranking officers, political perso­ nalities and university professors, many of them interna­ tionally known authorities on the various subjects under study. Each lecture is followed by a discussion period during which members may put questions directly to the lecturer. Here, it is a College rule that exchanges take place in an atmosphere of unrestricted academic free­ dom, which enhances the value and interest of the dis­ cussions. For committee work, members are organized into eight groups, each comprising seven or eight individuals from different countries and services. The committees are changed once during the course to give each member a broader first-hand exposure to other nationalities and services. A Faculty Adviser is responsible for guiding and advising each committee.

Two kinds of work are carried out in the committees. In oral discussions and presentations, based partly on the academic programme, members may discuss their own experiences and perspectives on topics of common inte­ rest. Second, having benefited from these daily exchan­ ges and enhanced their understanding, the committee members prepare a written study project setting forth the results of their analysis of a selected subject. The study projects are also presented orally by the commit­ tees to the entire course. A main characteristic of the work on the study project is the need to reach a consensus on key findings and conclusions. The process of reaching such a consensus

16 Visiting the USS COONTZ in Norfolk, United States. with a heterogeneous group has proved to be an effecti­ ve means of preparing members for their future tasks and appointments in the NATO organization. The multi-national committee system is also utilized for a number of special events. These include a debate between two selected committees on an important inter­ national issue; a crisis management exercise based on a fictitious scenario set in the 1980s; and practice in the techniques of international negotiating and decision­ making. As to instructional tours, these visits to NATO coun­ tries serve the dual purpose of providing direct exposure to the peoples and environments of NATO countries and the headquarters, military and industrial establishments located therein, and of helping to cement the course to­ gether through the process of collective travel. During the tours, briefings are given on military, political and economic affairs by senior national authorities and other important personalities. National headquarters, wea­ pons systems, training establishments, factories and re­ search establishments are often visited. For every course there are two main tours, each la­ sting three weeks:one to the United States and Canada, normally including a visit to Portugal, and a European tour during which the College visits most of the Euro­ pean member countries of the Atlantic Alliance. In addition, a brief visit is made within Italy. Studying the political realities of the Allied countries on the spot, meeting government officials and represen­ tatives of industry, attending national presentations, ma­ king contact with «the man in the street» — all these fac­ tors afford members an excellent opportunity to refine their insights into the complexities of a fifteen nation Al­ liance.

18 n i -

Air display during a study tour in Italy. Members o< the College examining a tank during a ovisit an t armoured unit.

THE A CADEMIC ADVISORY BOARD

In 1969, the M ilitary C om mee itt c reated an «Academic Advisory Board» to help theO NATDefense College fulfil its mission. This Board consists of the Chairman of the Military Committee as Chairman of the Board, and six external members from NATO countries, highly qualified and distinguished authorities in their own field. The Board’s task is to advise the Commandant, individually and collectively, on continual improvements to the aca­ demic activities of the College and to provide close links

20 with similar organizations in NATO countries. Thus the College preserves the basic character of its teaching me­ thods while constantly modifying its programme to re­ flect the new problems affecting the Alliance.

CONFERENCE OF COMMANDANTS OF NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGES

Since 1972, this Conference has been held annually in Rome under the chairmanship of the Commandant of the NATO Defense College. It is attended by the Comman­ dants of the National Defense Colleges of the NATO countries. The purpose of the Conference is to provide a forum for an authoritative exchange of information with a view to improving both the individual academic pro­ grammes and the teaching methods of the various De­ fence C olleges represented.

THE ANCIENS

The Anciens are the three and a half thousand members* who have attended the College since its foun­ dation in 1951. Owing to the im portant positions that they hold within thelliance, A in their own countries and in the world, the Anciens are the living proof that the Col­ lege has fulfilled its mission; because they are so nume­ rous, they represent an essential tool in the Alliance’s public relations activities. The contacts that the Anciens maintain with the Colle­ ge, the 'new links they forge with members during the

* as of January 1982

21 The Secretary General of NATO, Dr. J.M.A.H. LUNS, during a seminar for Anciens.

tours, and thefr presence on the College Faculty and Staff ensure a necessary degree of continuity for the trai­ ning of new members. The Anciens are grouped together in National Asso­ ciations of Anciens of the NATO Defense College and are invited to attend the Annual Reunion of Anciens which takes place in Rome for two days each autumn. Every year about three hundred Anciens from all corners of the world attend this meeting. The first day is devoted to a seminar. During this seminar, Anciens listen to a presentation — usually a panel debate — on a topical subject of importance for the Alliance; this presentation

22 is followed by a discussion period. The second day is re­ served for the Annual General Meeting of the Associa­ tion of Anciens. During these two days, the Anciens renew their links with the College and are brought up to date on some aspects of key problems affecting the Alliance. At the sa­ me time, they are able both to meet theirlow fel course members again and to forge new friendships.

CONCLUSION

The NATO Defense College has proved to be a unique success. In part, this may be attributed to the College's constant efforts to maintain a sound, flexible and stimu­ lating academic programme. But above all, the success is due to the quality of the men and women sent to the College by their respective nations. They have done everything possible to ensure that through them the Col­ lege fulfils its mission. They have gained fresh knowled­ ge and a new dimension from the instruction given at the College and during the tours. But of more fundamental importance, they have learned to look beyond their own horizons and to think and work collectively. Strong ties of respect and friendship have been forged between the­ se men and women from diverse nations and back­ grounds. The resulting amalgam of talents, influence and leadership goes far toward ensuring the continuing strength and cooperation of the Alliance. In the decades to come, new members will be asked to uphold this tradition so that the NATO Defense College can remain faithful to its motto «Unitatem Alentes» — «For unity we strive».

23 Prepared by NATO Defense College & Distributed by NATO Information Service - Brussels Printed by Di Cesari e Sordoni - Rome