NATO

Joint Warfare Centre hosts this week its first training event after its inauguration on 23 October 03. Some 130 personnel from NATO’s Southern Command in Italy will participate.

Joint Warfare Centre (JWC) at Jåttå, Stavanger is currently conducting its first ever training event, involving Deployable Joint Task Force Training (DJTF BST) or training of NATO’s mobile operational staff. Great things are expected from JWC’ ability to deliver value to its clients as personnel from NATO’s Southern Command, Allied Forces South Europe turn up in force.

Re-use of naval station The former naval station Ulsnes in Stavanger is being used as a training facility for the first time ever. Much work has been put in to prepare the station for its new mission. The end result is a base with an increased capacity that stands ready to welcome the delegates from Allied Forces South Europe (AFSOUTH), Naples, Italy.

High-level training “This is the first big training event the JWC is to deliver,” said Major General James Short. He is responsible for the event and JWC Chief of Staff. “As JWC we are to provide training and exercises at a high level, and in relation to this it is essential to develop Ulsnes as a training facility.” Major General Short wants to emphasize that the model involving a headquarters at Jåttå and training facilities at Ulsnes is not a split one, but rather a dual site approach.

International manningJWC is to achieve full operability by June 2006. However, before reaching this goal, a long manning process needs to be conducted by NATO’s member nations. “We are still far from full functionality due to low manning and a high pace of activity, but we are on track,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ivar Knotten, Project Officer for this week’s training event.

“We need much more staff, but this is nevertheless a very challenging and rewarding job! We also notice that expectations from the JWC are very high across Europe. We are starting to get a very good reputation, and when we go abroad we are treated as experts,” Lieutenant Colonel Knotten said. “The fact that this also is the first time the Deployable Joint Task Force sends personnel from Naples is an additional feather to our cap,” he concluded.