The Bugle NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE December 2013 I Issue 18 Commandant´s Foreword As we enter the Christmas Season, I want to express my sincere appreciation to each of you for your out- standing teamwork and dedication on behalf of the In this Issue: College. I really feel like the BALTDEFCOL is much like an orchestra – a melody is possible only then when every instrument plays its part well. In our well- Commandant’s Foreword 1 synchronized orchestra, the symphony is truly melodi- ous! HCSC Exercise 2 As we reach the end of 2013, I would like to briefly JCGSC Case Study 3 share with you how I envision the way ahead for our College. BALTDEFCOL currently operates according HCSC Study Trips 4-5 to a Development Plan which is valid until 2016. How- renew the BALTDEFCOL premises, as well as our Support to NATO School 6 ever, we live in a rapidly evolving world – a world in technological capabilities, to ensure we continue which new security challenges are constantly emerging. providing a world-class professional military education Introducing Estonia Trip 7-8 This, in turn, puts great demands on professional mili- to the officers and civil servants of the Baltic States, tary educational systems. To remain relevant in the allies and partners. To achieve this, your active contri- BALTGIRLS 9-10 21st century, BALTDEFCOL must also adapt. bution in the modernization process is needed and valued! OPD Events 11 Looking ahead, the College is on the verge of leaving behind its teenage years! The BALTDEFCOL will cele- We should also actively pursue deeper cooperation International Night in the brate its 15th Anniversary on 27 February 2014, and with our partners in NATO and the EU, including Baltics 12-13 thereby take its first steps along the exciting road as headquarters and other professional military educa- young adults. As the College’s development is our tional institutions – both regionally and globally. Various 14 common effort, I ask each of you to be actively engaged There are areas where we can learn from others and in the development process of BALTDEFCOL Vision areas where we can serve as advisers. The key point 2020. Our collective goal is to have a draft ready – is that BALTDEFCOL needs to stay connected to including your contributions – by mid-February. effectively address the security challenges of the fu- ture! The Bugle To this end, our College Management Group Meetings (CMGM) will increasingly concentrate on the future Finally, I would like to emphasize that we should con- Est. 2009 development of BALTDEFCOL. We will invite experts stantly strive for improvement through innovative from both the Directing and Support Staffs to contrib- Editor: approaches. We need to endeavour to be a more ute their knowledge and perspectives to the CMGM Kaja Võsu united team – a team of people who are honest, com- [email protected] discussions. We will seek to make the decision-making mitted, innovative, respectful, and most importantly – Office ph. +372 717 6001 process even more transparent and inclusive, leaving no excited. Only then can we maintain the nearly fifteen place for hidden agendas. year tradition of BALTDEFCOL as a unique, progres- Baltic Defence College sive, attractive, and competitive professional military Riia 12, Tartu Concentrating on Vision 2020 does not imply slowing educational institution – to the benefit of the leaders ESTONIA down our ongoing efforts in other key areas. Constant we educate here. Let´s harmonise our orchestral work on the modernization plan of the College, devel- inputs, initiatives, and contributions. Only then can we opment of our Research Pillar, creation of an educa- play a truly melodic symphony together! tional quality control and other systems, as well as Pictures by: Mr. Toots, LTC Kasperczuk, developing new Regulations and SOPs remain im- In closing, Irena and I would like to wish each of you MAJ Giorgi, MAJ Šilaika, LCDR portant priorities in the months ahead. and your loved ones a Merry Christmas. We sincerely Lai, MAJ Lumi, Ms. Matuleviciene, look forward to serving together in the year to come. personal archives of Directing Of note, I would especially like to emphasise the need Staff members, officers and civil to modernize the College. In order to be a modern, servants of JCGSC and HCSC, Major General Vitalijus VAIKŠNORAS progressive, and competitive institution, we need to and BALTGIRLS Commandant NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE I PAGE 1 HCSC Exercise HCSC Exercise STABLE REACTOR By COL (ret) Zdzislaw SLIWA, OPD and LTC Mirko ARROKÜLL (EST A), HCSC for study. The The officers and civil servants attending the final element of Higher Command Studies Course 2013 the Phase 3, (HCSC) conducted the Exercise STABLE supervised by REACTOR 2013 on 7 – 11 October 2013. the RDG Head Planner LTC The aim of the exercise was to enhance Mirko ARRO- understanding of the NATO strategic level planning KÜLL (EST A), process and procedures and to improve skills of was a briefing independent and critical thinking in complex planning Civil-military cooperation in HCSC to the SA- situation. During the Exercise, 15 students of the CEUR on the main elements of the MROs and HCSC from 9 nations, conducted planning within a proposed recommendations. Response Direction Group (RDG) focusing on the Phase 3 Military Response Options (MROs) The exercise is an important component for Development of the strategic level Operations facilitating civil-military interactions to promote Planning Process (OPP). comprehensive approach to contemporary operations. The exercise was pre- pared and managed by RADM (ret) Jaskot recognized the BALTDEFCOL Depart- importance of enhancing better ment of Operations and understanding among students saying the setting was based on that, ‘it was good to see how the the Zoran Sea scenario civilian students brought their which as stated by RADM ministry´s experience into the (ret) Richard JASKOT discussions to add to the strategic (US N), Visiting Senior thought as military options were Mentor (VSM) of the being considered, emphasizing the Exercise, ‘raised the very Leadership of Response Direction Group during VTC with underlying focus of involvement of points and intricacies of Joint Operations Planning Group civilian ministries as an imperative current world situations for senior defence staffing’. that are being dealt with in Brussels, Mons and in capitals around the world by senior defence staffs’. The exercise was very challenging, as only few The respected VSM also provided teaching about students of HCSC had little past experiences in campaign planning for the course, along with developing MROs at the strategic level. However, performing very detailed exercise preparations, made by the role of BALTDEFCOL staff, gave the HCSC students great S A C E U R . opportunity to focus on planning and achieving exercise aim. During the Exercise, af- The exercise was recognized as a valuable and ter analyzing important educational event to move from the a SACEUR operational level to campaign operational concerns S t r a t e g i c and strategic imperatives. The international MRO development team during discussion Assessment, environment, including officers and civil servants s t u d e n t s from three Baltic States, NATO and Partnership for provided an update brief enhancing situational Peace countries was a unique opportunity to share awareness and common understanding. Then, after experiences and perception of strategic level identifying possible MROs the latter were working concerns. Sharing knowledge and exchanging points within sub-syndicates, headed by COL Leonids of view among the students was also contributing to KALNIŅŠ (LVA A) and LTC Devis MARTU- learning one from others, building also personal CEVIČIUS (LTA AF), related to each MRO selected relations which will last in the future. NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE I PAGE 2 JCGSC Case Study JCGSC Case Study By Dr. Eric Sibul, OPD and MAJ Steven Tierney (US A), JCGSC On 7 – 9 October 2013 the BALTDEFCOL´s Norwegian CDR Iris Fivelstad stated, ‘Operation Joint Command General Staff Course (JCGSC) Albion is a great historic case to exemplify the visited Saaremaa and Muhumaa to conduct principles of war we have been studying the weeks their case study on Operation Albion. previous to the excursion’. The case study on Operation Albion, the German amphibious landing in October 1917 during which ‘The material Sõrve Peninsula of the island Saaremaa controlled the was not only land western entrance to the Gulf of Riga and hence the centric,' Latvian island was of great strategic and operational Lieutenant Com- importance during the World War I, stopped at mander Armands several locations on the islands of Saaremaa and VIRBICKIS stated, Muhu. ‘the discussions Many students commented that this type of hands on allowed me to un- derstand the concept of the operation from the point of view of all three com- ponents and the value of joint doc- trine’. Officers climbing down to Taga Bay – site of main German landing in October 1917 Operation Albion has been widely studied in staff colleges and by various militaries including the US Marines and Army, Germans, Soviets, Japanese, British, Danes, Site of the Pappisaare Naval Air Station Swedes and Estonians as it is perhaps the first training has helped them to better understand the modern truly joint operation and a good example of principles of war and the value of a well trained staff. maneuver warf-are. German Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Reinhard Schroder made a to- The learning activities of the uching and somber study trip used the case comment, ‘For me, method, where the officers as a German officer, looked at the problem from it felt a bit awkward the point of view of the to stand close to the historical protagonist - the location, where 96 actual person who had to years earlier Ger- devise and apply an app- man forces con - ropriate solution to the ducted this oper- problem.