NORTHERN STAR Magazine for HQ JFC BrunssumJFC – March 2013 Change of Command Ceremony In ISAF Commander’s Trips to Afghanistan NATO Triathlon Team Brunssum Interview With Lieutenant General Hodges Did You Know? Her Majesty Queen Beatrix Announced Abdication Norway and Defense www.jfcbs.nato.int www.facebook.com/jfcbs OFFICIAL VOLVO MILITAIRY/DIPLOMAT/EXPAT SALES AGENT C30 FOR NATO AIRBASE GEILENKIRCHEN,JFC HQ BRUNSSUM & U.S. ARMY GARRISSON SCHINNEN CUSTOM BUILD YOUR VOLVO VOLVO FACTORY WARRANTY HOME SHIPMENT PROGRAM INCLUDED* US,CANADIAN AND EUROPEAN SPECS · SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES AND HIGHEST SERVICE BODY AND PAINT SHOP JUST 15KM FROM GEILENKIRCHEN, 8KM FROM BRUNSSUM AND 2 KM FROM SCHINNEN! MORE THAN 45 YEARS Auto Kallen | Rijksweg Zuid 320 - Geleen | The Netherlands www.autokallen.nl VOLVO DEALER Tel +31 (0)46 - 423 86 86 | Contact person [email protected] *ONLY U.S. & CANADIAN SPECS TRAINING AT HOME Rent it! High quality fi tness equipment available at reasonable prices. We sell and rent Life-Fitness, Tunturi, Spinning, Bremshey and Fluid Rower. DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR CONDITION, LOOSE WEIGHT OR RECUPERATE IN YOUR BRASSERIE OWN PRIVATE GYM? PRO By Golf-Residentie Brunssummerheide Contact us for an offer within YOUR BUDGET! For all your parties Check our website for more offers and brands: www.niemansports.nl & celebrations! Or you can contact us at: [email protected] Reservations and more info: Tel 06-39219172 or 046-4337369 045-5646300 [email protected] Norbertijnenstraat 79b 6166AH Geleen www.golfbrunssummerheide.nl Colophon Command Group Corner hen I departed Brunssum for the family. It is fantastic to return to NATO The NORTHERN STAR is a publication, just over 4 years ago I am and to Limburg and I am looking forward to published with the assistance of ‘t Swarte Schaap, in co-operation with and at no cost not sure that anyone, least getting to know you all well, professionally to HQ JFC Brunssum. Opinions herein do of all me, expected me to be and socially, over the coming years. In my Wback as the DCOM. That said it is great roles of supporting the COM and the COS not necessarily reflect official NATO or HQ JFC Brunssum policy. The appearance of to be back and Maria and I are both and the HQ you will see a lot of me around advertisements, including inserts, does not looking forward to working and living, the organisation, including in the gym or on constitute endorsement by NATO or HQ once again, in the Netherlands. I have the squash courts. We all have a unique JFC Brunssum of the products or services been asked many times since my arrival opportunity to be part of something new, offered. Deadline for articles, advertisements what has changed and what is different. challenging, relevant and exciting and I am and photographs is on the Monday at close Although a few of the faces are familiar determined to make the most of that. of business prior to the week of publication. and it is always good to see old friends, and I just about know my way around the For me it is a great honour and privilege to be To place an advertisement in the Northern building, the real familiarity is the focus, the Brunssum DCOM. We have the makings Star, please call ’t Swarte Schaap and ask for Rob Schaap, Sint Franciscusweg 36-3, 6417 the professionalism and the dedication of of a great team and we have the potential to BD Heerlen, The Netherlands, telephone: the personnel. make a real difference; a real difference to +31 (0)45 571 61 16, ISAF, the NRF and to the Northern Region. or e-mail: [email protected]. I am looking forward to supporting the COM We also have the opportunity to develop our and the HQ as we deliver our 3 pillars of own experience and professional skill set to Submissions to the Northern Star can ISAF, NRF and Northern Regional Focus. take forward for the rest of our careers and be made to room F 1.12, Bldg. H 106 or Like many of you, ISAF is close to my to the benefit of our Nations and Services. e-mailed to [email protected]. Articles heart and there is a driving need to support should be in Microsoft Word format and, friends, allies and colleagues working in I finish by thanking all of you for what you whenever possible, should be no longer than Afghanistan but we must not forget that have done to date and for what you will do in 300 words. Photographs should be at least NRF is at the centre of NATO’s continued the future and to wish you, and your families, 9x6 centimetres and 300 dpi. The Northern Star is published monthly and is available ability to respond to a challenging world and all the best for 2013 and beyond. around the second Friday of each month. I find the prospect of cementing our future relevance through an understanding of “The Per Ardua For more information, call ext. 3570 or North” both exciting and demanding. All of +31 (0)45 526 35 70. The editor reserves the us have a special part to play in building and Graham Stacey right to edit submissions. protecting the reputation of the HQ, NATO and our individual Nations. Editorial Staff The next few years will be challenging. As we Col Martin Klein, DEU A transition to the new PE and we overcome Chief Public Affairs Office gaps in our establishment and the churn of personnel changing over, world events will Mr. Barry Mellor, GBR Civ not wait for us to catch up. We will have to Section Head Internal Communication & show the upmost energy and professionalism Community Relations, Editor and, most importantly, teamwork. The COM MSgt Jan Hecht, DEU A has already shared his vision of a learning and development organisation based Contributing Editor on empowerment, trust and respect for each other; one focussed on solutions not Jaroslava Augustinova, CZE problems and of mutual support rather than Contributing Editor blame or self interest. It is now up to all of us, working together, to step up to the mark to deliver. I offer you a couple of thoughts About the Cover from the internet on teamwork: General Joseph Dunford “Individual talent can win games, teamwork NORTHERN STAR Magazine for HQ JFC BrunssumJFC – March 2013 assumes command of and intelligence wins championships.” ISAF during Change of “When a gifted team dedicates itself to Command ceremony, HQ unselfish trust and combines instinct with ISAF, Kabul, Afghanistan 10 boldness and effort then it is ready to February 2013. climb.” Change of Command Ceremony In ISAF Photo by ISAF, Public I hope that all would agree with the ethos of those quotes and feel that they might Commander’s Trips to Afghanistan NATO Triathlon Team Brunssum Affairs Office. Interview With Lieutenant General Hodges Did You Know? Her Majesty Queen Beatrix Announced Abdication represent the sort of organisation they would Air Marshal Graham Stacey, Royal Air Force, Norway and Defense wish to be part of. My personal ethos has www.jfcbs.nato.int www.facebook.com/jfcbs always been to work hard and play hard, to Deputy Commander Joint Force Command deliver professionally but also to make time Brunssum Contents 4 Commander’s Trips To Afghanistan 15 Steadfast Jazz Preparations Continue 5 Change of Command Ceremony – Speech of General 16 NATO Triathlon Team Brunssum J.Dunford To Host the 3rd Try-a-Triathlon 6 JFC Brunssum Participates in Unified Endeavour 17 Marching Team Trains for Nijmegen 2013! 7-8 Allied Land Command Izmir – Interview With Lieutenant 18 AIS Celebrates Carnival; Charity Night: General B.Hodges A Real Wild Night! 9 Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejón, Spain, 19 FSMW – update Activated 21 One Of Us : Brigadier General A.J. Kjelsberg 10 Commander JFCBS Addresses the Staff 22-24 Did You Know? Her Majesty Queen Beatrix Announced 11-13 Norway and Defense Abdication 14 Headquarters Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum – 25 Circle 100: Wellness As in Bali Visits and Activities Command Group Corner Northern Star 3 Commander’s Trips To Afghanistan: “Progress That You Can Almost Touch.” Story by HQ JFCBS, Public Affairs Office General Domröse participating in the Change of Command ceremony in Kabul. he Commander Allied Joint Two weeks later, General Domröse again look no further than General John Allen… Force Command Brunssum, made the long journey to Afghanistan. On In one man, we have an individual who General Hans-Lothar Domröse, this occasion (10 February) he participated will not rest until a job is done; a man who visits the International Security in the change of command ceremony, held understands the true meaning of service; a TAssistance Force (ISAF) mission twice in Kabul, in which General Joseph Dunford man who re-defines loyalty and trust; and in quick succession. assumed command of ISAF from General has an unwavering sense of duty. I consider John Allen. him to be a diplomat, confidant, negotiator, The General’s first situational awareness and friend. Most of all, I consider him an trip to Afghanistan (18 – 26 January) was The Commander, in his speech as the exceptional leader…On behalf of the NATO deliberately planned for early 2013 so representative of SACEUR, stated: “I am Secretary General, and a grateful Alliance, I that he could visit Theatre as soon as not a complete stranger to Afghanistan. would like to pass sincere thanks for a job possible after assuming command of JFC Some of you will know that I served here, in very well done, and wish you all the best Brunssum.