Change of Command at the NSO

By Public Affairs Office

On 17 May 17, Colonel Timothy E. Dreifke, US Air Force, assumed responsibility as Commandant of the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO). Rear Admiral John W. Smith, Jr., US Navy, Chief of Staff U.S. European Command, presided at the formal ceremony. The Bavarian State Government was represented by Dr. Marcel Huber, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery. (read more...)

Digital Badging at NSO

By Lieutenant Commander Rémi Tremblay
Standards, Evaluation and Training Department

For more than 60 years, the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) has been issuing course certificates as a way of recognizing the knowledge and skills developed by students during residential and online courses. While these course certificates have traditionally been well received by both students and sponsoring organizations, they were often of little practical value in helping students promote their credentials and achievements to potential employers, colleagues, and friends. As part of modernization, the NSO has entered into a pilot project with Acclaim to offer a digital badge in addition to the traditional course certificate for graduates of select courses from May to December 2017. (read more...)

Combined Training Conference

By Public Affairs Office

From 8 - 12 May 17 this year's first iteration of the Combined Training Conference (CTC) attracted 400 attendees from 39 nations and was hosted at the NATO School Oberammergau. (read more...)

US-German Partnering Conference

By Public Affairs Office

On 26 - 27 Apr 17, the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) hosted the 14th annual US-German Partnering Conference. This conference, which is conducted in a different German state every year, attracted over 100 attendees to the NSO. The main focus of the Conference was to discuss, plan, review and agree to initiatives regarding mutual cooperation, in addition to current and future projects. Attending the conference were the US military Commands, the building authority of each federal state and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The attendees also took the opportunity to explore the local area visiting the nearby Schloss Linderhof and Ettal Monastery. (more pictures...)

NSO takes on the mantle of Department Head for ETEE

By Lieutenant Commander Rémi Tremblay
Standards, Evaluation and Training Department

As the newly appointed Department Head (DH) within NATO Global Programming for the NATO Education Training Exercise and Evaluation (ETEE) Discipline, the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) hosted the first Training Requirements Analysis (TRA) Working Group from 10-12 Apr 17. (read more...)

Defence Policy and Planning Symposium 2017

By Public Affairs Office

From 20 to 23 Feb 17 NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) hosted the Defence Policy and Planning Symposium (DPPS). The theme for this year's symposium was Strengthening Deterrence and Defence at NATO's Borders and Stability Beyond. The event was chaired by Mr. Heinrich Brauss, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning at NATO HQ in Brussels. (read more...)

Senior Officer Policy Course 1/17

By Public Affairs Office

Between 30 Jan - 03 Feb 17, the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) hosted the NATO Senior Officer Policy Course. The Course is a biannual, one-week strategic level course facilitated by the NSO's Cooperative Security (COSEC) Department whose remit is to deliver a broad spectrum of training and knowledge within a strong multinational context.
Guest speakers from the North Atlantic Council, NATO Headquarters, the Bi-Strategic Commands, as well as several academic and political institutions, discussed NATO's current and future security environment.
In this year's first iteration, 70 participants from 18 nations attended the Course. (more pictures...)

COM LANDCOM and CSEL visit NSO

By Public Affairs Office

On 27/28 Jan 17, Lieutenant General Williams, Commander Allied Land Command (LANDCOM), and Chief Warrant Officer Rice, Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) LANDCOM, visited the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO). The primary purpose of their visit was to address the NATO Command Senior Enlisted Leader Course which forms part of the NSO’s Non Commissioned Officers (NCO) Programme and is designed to prepare NCOs designated by their nation to assume their responsibilities as a CSEL in an international environment and in a position close to the commander. Lt Gen Williams took the opportunity to meet the Commandant NSO and senior staff and, during a round table discussion, was briefed on the current role of, and future developments at, the NSO. (more pictures...)

Training Curriculum Advancing NATO Targeting Competency

By Lieutenant Colonel Michael Buchkoski
Department Director, Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC) Department

In January 2015, the Joint Targeting Education and Training Programme at the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) was officially activated with the aim to increase targeting competency across the Alliance. Over the past two years, the Programme has trained over 1,500 international students in disciplines from basic targeting fundamentals to advanced-level operational courses. The aim of this article is to articulate the main achievements of the Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC) Programme and provide an outlook for the Programme's future. (read more...)

NATO CD&E Course in Rome

By Public Affairs Office

From 17 to 24 Oct 16, the NATO Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) Course was delivered, for the first time, at the Italian Centre for Defence Innovation, Rome. The Course was conducted at the request of the Policy and Plans Department of the Italian Defence General Staff; attendees included students from 7 NATO nations, ranging from OF-2 to OF-5, representing all Armed Services and the Carabinieri. (read more...)

NATO Senior Officer Policy Course at the NSO

By Public Affairs Office

The NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) hosted the NATO Senior Officer Policy Course, between 03 - 07 Oct 16, to an audience of OF-5 officers and above.
The NATO Senior Officer Policy Course is a biannual opportunity for NATO personnel to discuss current and future security issues with direction and guidance provided by senior military leaders, policymakers and members of academia. On this occasion, guest speakers included representatives from the North Atlantic Council, NATO Headquarters, the Bi-Strategic Commands and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, with a keynote speech delivered by SACEUR, General Scaparotti.
Lectures were interspersed with lively discussion and question and answer sessions, all conducted under the Chatham House Rule of non-attribution. (more photos...)

Teaching Gender in the Military: A Handbook

By Lieutenant Commander Rémi Tremblay
Standards, Evaluation and Training Department

On 21 Jun 16, Ms. Tanja Geiss, Mr. Gigi Roman and LCDR Remi Tremblay presented the Teaching Gender in the Military: A Handbook to the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) Commandant and Dean of Academics. The Handbook codifies the knowledge and best practices developed during a series of four workshops organised by the Security Sector Reform and Education Development Working Groups of the Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes (PfPC). The first workshop was held in Jul 12 at the NSO followed by additional workshops at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Dec 12), and in Geneva (Dec 13 and Jul 14). (read more...)

Joint Targeting Training in Madrid

By Lieutenant Colonel Michael Buchkoski
Department Director, Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC) Department

In April 2016, JTIC staff from the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) supervised the NATO Joint Targeting Staff Course at the Spanish Joint Operations Command (SJOC) in Madrid, Spain. The Targeting Staff Course provided 25 graduates with an understanding of the fundamentals of the NATO Joint Targeting Cycle and the various roles and responsibilities of NATO Targeteers. (read more...)

NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) promotes Gender Perspectives across NATO

By Lieutenant Commander Rémi Tremblay
Department Director, Standards, Evaluation & Training Department

At the 2014 NATO Wales Summit, the participating Heads of State and Government reaffirmed that integrating Gender Perspectives into NATO Operations and Training continued to be a high priority for the Alliance: We attach great importance to ensuring women’s full and active participation in the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts, as well as in post-conflict efforts and cooperation [...] we have made significant progress in implementing UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and related resolutions [...] Our on-going efforts to integrate gender perspectives into Alliance activities throughout NATO’s three core tasks will contribute to a more modern, ready, and responsive NATO. (read more...)

NSO StratCom Seminar in Madrid

By Lt. Col. Enrique Silvela Díaz-Criado

From 15 to 19 February, a NATO Senior Officials Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) Familiarization Seminar took place in Madrid, requested by the Spanish Joint Operations Command. The Seminar counted on the presence of twenty general officers and three civilian officials, from the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, as well as from the National Security Council staff. (read full article...)

Defence Planning Symposium NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation’s visit

Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Denis Mercier, paid his first visit to the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) on the occasion of the Defence Planning Symposium (DPS) hosted by the School, which took place from 23 to 25 Feb 16 and was chaired by Mr Heinrich Brauss, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, International Staff, NATO. The theme for the symposium was 'Planning for NATO’s long term adaptation to the shifting security environment.' (read more...)

Trident Juncture 2015

By Lieutenant Colonel Michael Buchkoski, Department Director, JTIC

Between 30 September and 8 October, a member of the NATO School Oberammergau’s (NSO) Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC) staff joined SHAPE’s Evaluation Directorate in Zaragosa, Spain as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Joint Fires and Intelligence Support to Targeting during Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE 2015 (TJ15). As the largest NATO exercise since 2002, TJ15 included the participation of nearly 36,000 troops from 30 nations, 230 units, 140+ aircraft, and more than 60 ships. In addition, more than 12 international organizations, governmental organizations and NGOs participated, including the European Union, the OSCE, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the African Union. (read more...)

Evaluating Emerging Technologies for Training and Education

The Evaluating Emerging Technologies for Training and Education workshop was delivered for the first time at the National Defence University in Belgrade Serbia from 22 to 24 September 2015.

The workshop was conducted by a team of experts from NATO School Oberammergau comprising Mr Gigi Roman, LCDR Remi Tremblay and Ms Tanja Geiss. (read more...)

Pilot Courses on Irregular Warfare

NATO School Oberammergau (NSO), in conjunction with the NATO Special Operations Headquarters and Joint Special Operations University(JSOU), is responding to a demand signal to educate those conventional forces' personnel serving in NATO staff roles on the unique capabilities and planning factors to bring NATO's "Quiet Professionals" into all lines of effort. As highlighted by USSOCOM Commander General Joseph Votel at the 2015 NATO Special Operations Forces (SOF) Symposium, SOF operate in the "gray zone" that blends all instruments of power. NSO is excited to launch seven pilot courses and seminars in 2016 that bring subject matter experts from the JSOU to explain how SOF operates in this zone. Based directly on student feedback from these first iterations, NSO will refine learning objectives and teaching methods to integrate these "gold standard" courses into our portfolio. (read more...)

Republic of Azerbaijan visits NATO School Oberammergau

An official delegation from the Republic of Azerbaijan visited the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) from 21 to 22 September 2015. This visit was requested by the Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan in pursuit of their efforts to operate an International Counter-Terrorism Training Centre (ICTTC). Members of the NSO Command Group and several subject matter experts provided briefings on NSO's experience in organizing and conducting courses, curriculum development, quality assurance processes and infrastructure support. The NSO's NATO Defence Against Terrorism (DAT) Course was of great interest for the delegation since NSO has several years of experience conducting this course with the support of a valuable network of experts. (read more...)

Perception becomes Reality

Bocca della veritas or Perception becomes Reality was the introducing theme of Mark Laity, GBR-CIV, Chief of Strategic Communication, SHAPE, in the one-week-course at NATO School Oberammergau (NSO). From 31 Aug - 04 Sep 39 students from 15 different nations were trained on the issue of Strategic Communications. The NATO Senior Officials StratCom Familiarization Course aims to promote and foster an understanding of Strategic Communications in the NATO environment. Altogether, 14 guest speakers from NATO HQ, ACO, ACT, the NATO StratCom Center of Excellence, JFC BS, HQ ARCC and NSO shared their knowledge in the field of Strategic Communications in this fifth iteration of that course at NSO. (read more...)

Starting the Second Semester

After two weeks of Academic Break, the NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) started the second semester on 24 August 2015, with nine different courses and more than 330 students from 36 different nations. In addition to the NSO staff, 43 guest speakers shared their experience in their field of expertise with the students. For the second semester, NSO has planned new programs, Mobile Education Training Teams, conferences and a huge variety of resident courses. "NSO is starting the second half of an incredibly productive academic year and we have enjoyed strong growth in a number of new programs", Captain Scott Butler, USA-N, Commandant of NSO. (read more...)

Joint Targeting Program

With full support from the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip M. Breedlove, the Joint Targeting Education and Training Program at the NATO School Oberammergau was officially established on 23 January 2015. Prior to this, NATO identified a critical Joint Targeting training shortfall as demonstrated during Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR and NATO Response Force (NRF) exercises. The intent of this article is to update the Alliance on what the Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC) program has accomplished over its first six months and provide an outlook for the program's future. (read more...)

"I learned so much"

Warrant Officer Sara Al-Sammarraie, Iraq

This was the enthusiastic response from Iraqi Warrant Officer (OR-9) Sara Al-Sammarraie when asked about her recent attendance on the NATO NCO Orientation Course (M5-33). (read more...)

Interview with Ambassador Schuurman

Ambassador Marriët Schuurman is Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security (NLD CIV).

Q: The recruitment and retention of women has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. What potential do you see with the increasing percentage of women in Allied armed forces?
Ambassador Schuurman: The percentage of women in the allied forces of NATO has been increasing, but has been increasing very slowly. In the past fifteen years we went up from 7% to 10%. If we want to continue to increase that percentage we must recognize that having a gender balance improves performance and that it is of critical importance to have women in the armed forces. (read more...)

Strategic Military Partner Conference in Georgia

From 8-10 June 2015 NATO Allied Command Transformation, led by Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, General Jean-Paul Paloméros, FRA AF, held a three-day Strategic Military Partner Conference (SMPC) in Tbilisi, Georgia. SMPC is a core event within SACT’s Strategic Engagement Campaign and gives ACT a chance to exchange ideas regarding transformation with the Chiefs of Defence and subject matter experts from NATO and partner nations from around the globe. (read more...)

Reducing our environmental footprint

From 22-26 June 2015, 19 students from 13 nations were trained on Environmental Protection Requirements for NATO-led Operations, at NATO School Oberammergau (NSO). After the one-week course, some of the students will apply their knowledge as an Environmental Protection Officer on an operational mission. Led by LTC Lloyd Chubbs, CAN A, SHAPE Staff Officer Environmental Management and Cdt Johan Laire, BEL A, Staff Department Operations and Training in Brussels, Environmental Adviser, students were taught the broad field of Environmental Protection as well as the finer details that count on a mission. (read more...)

Comprehensive Operations Planning Course in Ethiopia

A Comprehensive Operations Planning Course has been conducted for the first time at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 08 -12 June 2015. The five-day long pilot course was organised and conducted by a combined team from NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) and Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP). The course aimed to assist African Union (AU) Staff to the Joint & Combined level of ambition as members of a Joint Operations Planning Group in the AU Peace Support Ops Division, or Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms positions. Twenty students from the Armed Forces, the Police as well as civilians from 17 different African countries attended and completed the course successfully in Addis Ababa. (read more...)

NSO attended Military Partnership Coordination Workshop

NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) contributed to the Military Partnerships Coordination Workshop in Budva, Montenegro 23-27 Mar 15. Partnerships were identified as a priority at the 2014 Wales Summit with new Partner initiatives introduced by NATO. Maj Gen Ali Çetinkaya, Deputy Chief of Staff Military Partnership, TUR AF, stated that with the next NATO Summit planned for Warsaw in 2016, the vision was to ‘bridge the gap’ between Wales and Warsaw and the theme of this year’s Workshop was therefore ‘Developing Partnerships, Bridging the Future’. (read more...)

Defence Planning Symposium NATO School Oberammergau (NSO)

From 24 to 26 Feb 2015, the NATO School Oberammergau hosted the Defence Planning Symposium (DPS) chaired by Mr Heinrich Brauss, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning, International Staff, NATO. The theme for the symposium was "Adapting NATO's capabilities: Bolstering Readiness and Responsiveness". (read more...)

Interview with Major General Blotz

During his visit at NATO School Oberammergau

Q: How important is interoperability for NATO - today and tomorrow in regards to the changes in our security environment?

Major General Josef Blotz: Interoperability has been a key factor for success since the Alliance was formed in 1949. Interoperability between all the NATO Allies is a crucial factor for success and credibility. We need to be able to work together tactically, technically and in decision making. (read more...)

Establishment of the Joint Targeting Interoperability Curriculum (JTIC)

On 23 Jan 2015, the first course of the JTIC at NATO School Oberammergau (NSO) ended with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in the School’s Manfred-Woerner-Hall. The long-awaited event was attended by Brigadier General Paul Nelson, Director of Intelligence for the United States European Command, Brigadier General Ole Asak, Assistant Chief of Staff J2 SHAPE, and Captain Scott Butler, NSO Commandant. The ceremony was highlighted by a video message from General Philip M. Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, in which he addressed JTIC’s students and NSO’s honoured guests. (read more...)