The Bugle NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE In this Issue: June 2016 I Issue 23 Commandant’s Foreword 1 JCGSC 3 Commandant’s foreword HCSC 4 Hall of Fame 5 Visitors 6 Conference on Russia 8 History Conference 10 Roundtable Seminars 11 Publications 11 JCGSC IST 12 HCSC FST 15 CJSE 16 16 HCSC Exercises and tasks 19 JCGSC BDST 20 Hegemon 23 VTC’s at BALTDEFCOL 24 Sports activities 25 Dear Colleagues, er to generate the introduction of a Long-Term Summer Hike 27 Planning capacity for the college’s development, Another academic year at our institution is which was supported by the ‘Vision 2020’ Baltgirls Activities 28 coming to an end as well as my duty tour as the process, which eventually culminated in the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College. ‘Baltic Defence College Development The Bugle In December 2012, while assuming responsibil- plan 2017 -2025’, laying the groundwork for Est. 2009 ity for the college, I promised to you and our the college to further develop for the years to superiors that the key aspect of our joint en- come. Editor: deavour should be not only to maintain the Together, we have not only very successfully Ms Kadri Nestra impressive achievements of our predecessors – further developed existing courses and pro- [email protected] Office Tel: +372 717 6001 Commandants, Management Group, Faculty jects, but have also created new ones. The members and Supporting staff – but also to Higher Command Studies Course and Joint Language editor: further develop it as a modern, future-oriented, Command and General Staff Course were sig- Dr Kristina Prismantaite attractive and competitive Professional Military nificantly reshaped to better address the rapidly Mr James Rogers Educational institution. I also promised you that changing realities of our region and a global together we would better position the college world. Meanwhile, addressing the requirement Baltic Defence College to address the security challenges of the future. for lifelong education, and to better prepare Riia St12, Tartu Today, looking back over the past 3.5 years we senior leaders to perform at ever higher levels ESTONIA have been working together I can proudly say: and further develop professional network of Pictures by: what a great journey we have had; what great the Wider Baltic region, we developed a course Staff members results we have achieved; and in all aspects of – the Senior Leaders’ Course – for general Baltgirls the college’s life! officers and civilian leaders at the executive Students To begin with, educational success requires level. Mr Oliver Toots appropriate planning. We have worked togeth- Reflecting on the need for the more individually Mr Raido Saar NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE I PAGE 1 Commandant’s foreword tailored education, allowing our students to deepen and tribute those savings to other high priority areas. widen their knowledge and expertise in the areas relat- While we have greatly enhanced our educational pro- ed to their future appointments, we successfully intro- cesses and facilities, we have also continued to integrate duced, developed and expanded electives in our the college into the research network of the Wider operational, and later, our senior level, courses. They Baltic region to boost its visibility and reputation. To were very successful and contributed to the enhance- effectively address the security challenges of the future, ment of our students’ knowledge. and to better align real-life developments and our edu- In relation to our academic environment and to facili- cational curricula, we have enlarged our cooperation tate better team work, transparency and a common with our allies and partners, such as NATO, the understanding of our educational philosophy, we intro- European Union and multiple national headquarters and duced our Code of Conduct and Educational Char- other institutions, both regionally and globally. ter. Equally, we decided to continue with the adoption Equally, to provide a prestigious and visible means of of the Bologna Process, leading to significant improve- recognition to selected graduates of our institution, the ments to our educational Quality Assurance and Hall of fame of the Baltic Defence College was Quality Control system, as well as the harmoni- established and the first general officers from Estonia, zation of all levels of the Baltic States’ Profes- Latvia and Lithuania were inducted. Moreover, we have sional Military Education programme. In this re- moved towards establishing an Honorary Fellows gard, several new Standard Operating Procedures programme, to connect the leading Baltic security have been introduced, enhancing the process for educa- thinkers – especially those with an interest in our insti- tional planning, research, assessment and feedback and tution’s future success – to the college and its students the acquisition of Information Resources, greatly im- and faculty. proving both the learning environment for our students No less important, we have actively participated in the and the professionalism of our faculty. social activities of Tartu and with the great initiative of The development of our educational systems has also the BaltGirls, we established and developed a new noble gone hand-in-hand with our efforts to transform our tradition of fundraising for charity during our Inter- institution in a leader and centre of excellence in re- national Nights. gional security. We have established high-profile annual Today, at the end of my tour as Commandant, I can Russia conferences; Cyber conferences and further proudly conclude that together our multinational team developed Baltic Military History conferences, as well succeeded not only to maintain but also further develop as numerous roundtable seminars on multiple different the impressive standards and high quality of education subjects. The introduction of our Journal on Baltic and research our institution has made the hallmark of Security is also the beginning of the establishment of a its existence during the first seventeen years of its exist- leading Baltic security periodical, which will further ence. strengthen the college’s reputation. We have effectively continued to develop the Baltic Another remarkable achievement – undertaken in a Defence College as a Modern, Future-oriented, At- relatively short period of time – was to significantly tractive and Competitive professional military edu- renovate and improve our educational environ- cational institution. Our educational products will con- ment as well as quality of life of our personnel by tinue to benefit future military and civilian leaders from modernising our premises, learning facilities and infra- the three Baltic States, as well as our allied and partner structure. We made them not only more ergonomic nations, to strengthen their armed forces and defence and technologically advanced but representative as well. and security systems. Modernisation is not only about room machinery and These and all of our other success are the result of infrastructure, it is also the development of our mind- our team’s efforts, dedicated work and commit- set and the educational process itself which has ment. become more flexible and innovative and is increasingly I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, shifting from teaching-centred to learning-centred. In all of our permanent personnel and students and espe- addition, we have also moved towards new formats of cially to recognise the support, understanding and dedi- internal interaction, information sharing and manage- cation from our spouses and families. ment within our institution. As we have optimised the intellectual and materi- In closing, I would like – together with Irena – to al resources allocated to us, we have clearly achieved wish to each of you all the very best success, hap- significant savings and the possibility to eventually redis- piness and joy in work and life. NEWSLETTER OF THE BALTIC DEFENCE COLLEGE I PAGE 2 AROUND THE ACADEME Joint Command and General Staff Course 2015/2016 By Colonel Mark Hollis, Course Director JCGSC Comprehensive exams passed, final our students’ commitment and hard work shown while check-out procedures almost finalised working through this academic path. I hope the students – the end of another remarkable will look back at these eleven months of intensive and accomplished year at the Baltic learning as a positive experience in an international Defence College is almost a reality. I environment which hopefully not only provided them am glad to acknowledge that on 16th with an operational level education but also gave them June 2016, JCGSC AY 2015-2016 tools to continue to embrance lifelong learning and self- graduates fifty-three students from fifteen nations. All improvement. the countless hours spent on readings, writings, With graduation approaching, it is important to recog- reasearching, and exercises are complete and students nise the students whose exemplary achievements led to are ready to face their next challenges. being nominated for the following awards: Academically, it has been a stellar eleven months. The students have been actively involved and exposed to Joint Operations Award – within Learning Area 1 the win- daily interactions and dialogues with Faculty and ner for the award is MAJ Indrek Sarap (EST). Syndicate Guiding Officers, shared experiences and expertise with their peers, conducted exercises to Academic Writing Award – within Learning Area 5 the demonstrate their knowledge, and executed study tours winner for the award is MAJ Priit Heinloo (EST) to complement their understanding. I trust the students have turned all this experience into a great success for Best Coursemate Award – After the voting among the their own personal development. students the winner for this award is MAJ Indrek I would like to take this opportunity to remind Sarap (EST) you of our shared moments throughout this course. The first semester (August-December) the Class Leader Recognition – MAJ Linas Idzelis (LTU) students were provided with the grounding required to served as a Class Leader for the Course. succeed in the JCGSC.