NATO School
Public Information Office
Press Release
First ISAF PRT Course held at the NATO School
By SGM Sjon Selles, NLD AF, NATO School Public Affairs Office
22 September 2006
Oberammergau, Germany - The NATO School has successfully conducted
the first International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT) Pre Deployment Course from 18 - 22 September
2006. Fifty students from 20 nations attended the course. The
course attracted junior officers, senior officers, and civilians. The aim
of this course is to provide common knowledge and understanding of the
ISAF mission to personnel dealing with PRTs and to harmonize structures
within the NATO chain of command. Thus it is designed to prepare future
NATO/ISAF personnel for their forthcoming deployments to
Afghanistan.
This pilot course was run by experts from Joint Forces Command Brunssum
as well as from Head Quarters ISAF. Subject matter experts from NATO Head
Quarters, Allied Command Transformation, ISAF, JFC Brunssum, Allied Land
Component Command, Allied Air Component Command, United Nations
Assistance Mission Agency, and Combined Allied Forces Command contributed
to this course with lectures and panel discussions.
The course was requested by NATO and ISAF to prepare future officials who
will be deployed with ISAF operations in Afghanistan. For this pilot
course, specific members from various international military and civilian
organizations were invited to attend. “This course is absolutely
fantastic”, said Major General Freek Meulman, NLD AF and future DCOMISAF,
the senior student in this pilot course. “Due to its content it is
fundamental for everybody who will be rotating into the ISAF mission in
Afghanistan. The course is very well executed by the contributing subject
matter experts, very informative and right to the mark.”
There were also two representatives from Australia that attended the
course. Australia has recently expanded its contribution to the mission
in Afghanistan. “As Australia joins the ISAF reconstruction mission in
Afghanistan, this course has provided an excellent opportunity to enhance
our relationship with our partners and has been invaluable in expanding
our understanding of NATO’s approach to this very important operation”,
an Australian student in the course concluded.
The keynote speaker for this course was Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, KCB
OBE, GBR Royal Navy, the Deputy Commander Supreme Allied Command
Transformation. Admiral Stanhope was ‘delighted to be able to speak to
this course, as ISAF is NATO’s number one priority at the moment’. “Our
goal is to help the people of Afghanistan so they can become a stable
society with a secure environment. Our people at the operational level
are doing a tremendous job! We know that the PRTs are nationally led but
we will make sure that what they are doing is coordinated because
coordination is vital to make this mission successful.” The Admiral is
very proud of the work that has been accomplished by the various PRTs so
far. “We are making enormous progress as we work to make this mission
successful. To you who are going to participate in the ISAF mission I
wish you good luck!”
InJuly 2006 NATO-ISAF took command of the international military forces
in southern Afghanistan from the US-led Coalition. Now, more than 8,000
NATO-led forces are providing support to the Afghan authorities in the
south, with the aim of boosting efforts to provide reconstruction and
development.
The AllianceÂ’s mission now covers approximately three-quarters of the
countryÂ’s territory. NATO is leading some 20 000 troops from 37 countries
and 13 Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in the north, west and
south of the country. This is NATOÂ’s first and largest ground operation
outside Europe.
NATO is a key component of the international communityÂ’s engagement in
Afghanistan, assisting the Afghan authorities in providing security and
stability, paving the way for reconstruction and effective
governance.
The NATO School plans to conduct four iterations of the ISAF PRT course
in 2007.
NATO School
Public Affairs Office
82487 Oberammergau
Internet:
www.natoschool.nato.int
E-Mail: all_pao@natoschool.nato.int - Phone: +49 8822 9481 1052 or
1054