A new day ahead. A new way ahead.

TransformerThe Allied Command Transformation Newsletter

Vol. 2 Issue 1, March 2006

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ACT conducts tests in IstanbulACT conducts tests in IstanbulACT conducts tests in IstanbulACT conducts tests in IstanbulACT conducts tests in IstanbulBy Chief Petty Officer Joel I. HuvalISTANBUL – The nearly month-long

Multinational Experiment 4 ended March 17,and it is now time for NATO Member andPartner nations to examine the results andcontinue to refine effects-based planningprocesses.

The MNE4 scenario was based on thecurrent military and politicalsituation in Afghanistan usingreal-world data tailored to meetspecific experimentalobjectives and requirements. The experiment’s goal was toassist NATO in transforming itsoperational planning using amore well-rounded approach,where factors other thanmilitary are considered andused in operational planning.

To accomplish this, NATOtested the various componentsof an effects-based approachto operations. EBAO focuseson the achievement of desiredeffects at all levels ofengagement.

Rather than primarilyfocusing on planned actions,EBAO involves identifying and planning forprojected changes in the behaviour of allactors, which include both military and non-military adversaries, friends and neutrals toachieve desired strategic, operational andtactical effects.

U.S. Joint Forces Command’s JointExperimentation Directorate was theexecutive agent for MNE4 and participatedprimarily from Suffolk, Va. Eightparticipating nations collaborated throughan electronic network from their ownnational experimentation facilities.

ACT led NATO’s participation in theexperiment separately at the state-of-the-artAtaturk Wargaming, Simulation and CulturalCenter in Istanbul.

Supreme Allied CommanderTransformation U.S. Air Force General

Lance L. Smith recognised not only thecentre’s importance to the exercise, but theimportant role Turkey plays within theNATO Alliance.

“This first-class facility allows [a global]connection to occur,” Smith said. “It is alsoanother indication of Turkey’s seriousnessabout engaging and experimenting with

other nations within NATO and othergovernmental organisations with the goalof trying to win this very difficult battleagainst terrorism. Our job is to collectivelyunderstand how we need to organise, equipand train our forces to be able to fight whatI’ll call a ‘new war,’ but certainly Turkey hasbeen engaged in these types of efforts for along time. Turkey has been leading the wayand trying to help the rest of us understandhow to deal with organisations that are notreally military organisations, that don’t haveany borders or boundaries, and don’toperate under any civilised rules.”

A key focus for ACT in MNE4 was toexperiment with interagency and civil-military cooperation in future NATOoperational planning.

The Civil Affairs Group, or CAG, included

representatives from the UN, the U.S.Department of Justice, the U.S. ArmyPeacekeeping and Stabilization OperationsInstitute, the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment, and the German ForeignMinistry.

While experimenting within the frameworkof an effects-based approach to operations,

a discovery was made in howcivil organisations can operateat all levels of an operation.

“What we have discoveredhere is that we, in the military,have to engage otherorganisations in a much moreeffective way to deliver therequirements of government,”said Deputy Supreme AlliedCommander TransformationU.K. Royal Navy Adm. Sir MarkStanhope. “A governmentneeds to fully appreciate whatit wants to achieve and decidewhat the military needs to doto assist in that achievement,and the military cannot do thatalone. We need civilianorganisations at the strategiclevel, as well as working with

military units on the ground.”Stanhope said the MNE series has been

building a framework that will increasinglyimprove operational planning.

U.S. Navy Commander Ed Whalen, ACTexperiment director for NATO’s participationin MNE4, expressed his satisfaction with theconduct of the experiment and looks forwardto the Senior Leader Seminar in May of thisyear when preliminary experiment results willbe shared with key NATO leadership. “Thesuccess of MNE4 lies in the fact that wehave been able to closely analyse all aspectsof an effects-based approach to operations. Whatever results we find will take us onestep closer to a more comprehensiveunderstanding of this process and itspotential application to future NATOoperations.”

Adm. Sir Mark Stanhope gets some hands-on experience whileparticipating in a portion of the experiment at the AtaturkWargaming, Simulation and Culture Center in Istanbul, March 9.

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Allied Reach 06 tackles NRF support issuesAllied Reach 06 tackles NRF support issuesAllied Reach 06 tackles NRF support issuesAllied Reach 06 tackles NRF support issuesAllied Reach 06 tackles NRF support issuesBy U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer

Joel I. HuvalNORFOLK, Va. – NATO’s Military Committee,Allied Command Operations and AlliedCommand Transformation met at the JointForces Staff College Jan. 24to kick off Exercise AlliedReach 06, which ran throughJan. 26 and was the third in aseries of exercises to examineand work out the remainingissues facing the NATOResponse Force.

The aim of this year’s AlliedReach theme, “The NATOResponse Force beyond FullOperational Capability,” wasto contribute to theenhancements of the NRF, byexamining transformationaland operational issues withall strategic and operationallevel commanders and theirkey staff.

The importance of the NRF,which is scheduled to reachfull operational capabilityOct.1, was explained by Supreme AlliedCommander Transformation U.S. Air ForceGen. Lance L. Smith in his opening remarks.

“Clearly, its primary focus is to be themilitary arm of the alliance should we have to

resort to the use of military,” Smith said. “Atthe same time, it is the primary vehicle oftransformation within the alliance. The NRFis the vehicle for where we will develop thetechnologies to work together, as well as

tactics and procedures. All of this goes intobuilding a cohesive force that can rapidlyrespond in time of war.”

Although the NRF, at a manning level of 70percent, has had successful roles inhumanitarian operations in disaster relief forboth Hurricane Katrina in the southern UnitedStates and the devastating earthquake inPakistan, its role as a proactive warfightingtool has yet to be proven and one of thebiggest concerns facing these units isfunding and resources.

Calling 2006 a major year for the Alliance,Supreme Allied Commander Europe U.S.Marine Corps Gen. James L. Jones saidalthough NATO has experienced successesin several global operations, including thecurrent expansion into Afghanistan, theNRF’s ability to meet full operationalcapability is at risk.

“It is the current structural supportmechanisms that are currently placing theNRF at risk. The very things that make theNRF work have to change,” Jones said.“What is hampering the NRF is that we arestruggling to find the support mechanismsthat make it work. Right now there are six orseven nations within NATO that spend morethan two percent of their [gross domesticproduct] on national security.”

Jones said the idea of using a “costs fallwhere they lie” philosophy is an idea that nolonger has a place in bringing the NRF to fullcapacity.

Jones said “costs fall where they lie” is a20th century concept and itwill not work in anexpeditionary NRF.

“It is too cumbersome,” hesaid. “We need to create asystem where all [Alliance]members, and even non-members who are qualified,can sign up and be fullmembers of the NRF.”

Jones said NATO is makingprogress toward creating acommon funding program toallow for greater resources tofurther the NRF process.

Another problem relatedto resources, Jones said, isthat while the NRF isreaching full operationalcapability, nations aretaking on one of the mosthistorically challenging

missions in the Alliance – the expansion intoAfghanistan.

NATO is involved, not only in Afghanistan,but Iraq, the Balkans, and several otheroperations throughout the globe. Jones saidthat when factoring in the budgets for allthese operations, a further financial strain isplaced on budgeting for the NRF.

Jones said the opportunity to begindiscussions early in the year and with perhapsenough time to develop the proper financialsupport mechanisms, the NRF’s future maystill be right on target.

Smith stressed the importance of AlliedReach in its ability to bring together thepeople who can help ensure the effectivenessof the NRF.

“The NRF is the vehicle of transformationand that’s why it is so important to ACOand ACT,” he said. “We will work hard inthat direction to make it realised the potentialthat it has. Our focus here over the nextcouple of days is going to be on operationalissues. This gives the operationalcommanders a chance to get together withstrategic commanders and leaders in theMilitary Committee to address issues wenormally do not have the chance to discussin an environment where we can openlyexpress our concerns and hopes.”

Supreme Allied Commander Transformation U.S. Air Force Gen. LanceL. Smith addresses the Exercise Allied Reach 06 attendees during hisopening remarks. Photo: ACT Photo Lab.

SACTGen. Lance L. Smith, USAFChief of Public InformationCapt. Hal Pittman, USNDeputy Chief of Public InformationMr. Roy Thorvaldsen, A-4Media Operations OfficerCapt. Mike Nicholson, USAProduction ChiefChief Petty Officer Joel I. Huval, USNWebmaster/Staff writerPetty Officer 2nd Class Tyce Velde, USN

The views and opinions expressed in thispublication do not necessarily reflect thoseof NATO or its member nations. All articlesare edited for content. To contact theTransformer staff call (757) 747-3600. Toobtain electronic copies of the newsletter,visit us on the Web at www.act.nato.int orthe classified site www.act.nato.int/CommandGro/COS/PIO. Printed by SACTPrint Shop. Deadline for submissions ismid-month of each quarter.

The Transformer Staff

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PfP: chance for ‘dialog and cooperation’PfP: chance for ‘dialog and cooperation’PfP: chance for ‘dialog and cooperation’PfP: chance for ‘dialog and cooperation’PfP: chance for ‘dialog and cooperation’SKOPJE, Former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia – Nearly 150 defencerepresentatives from Partnership for Peaceand NATO member nations attended aconference entitled ‘Understanding NATOMilitary Transformation’ in the city of Skopje,FYROM, from March 15-17 to discuss andlearn more about the changes taking placewithin the PfP nations and NATO Alliance.

NATO’s Supreme Allied CommanderTransformation U.S. Air Force Gen. Lance L.Smith said the transformational effortsthroughout the Alliance and Partner nationshave been “dynamic and impressive.”

Smith said NATO started undergoingsweeping changes after seriouscommunication and operational gaps werediscovered during the start of operations inKosovo, and that every nation needs tocontinue to ensure the past will not berepeated.

“We cannot allow for the gaps [incommunication and interoperability] thatoccurred in 1999 to happen again,” Smith

said. “The Partner nations have a large roleto play in that, and by participating withNATO, I think we can all be assured that wewill continue to move in the same directionwith transformation.”

While the NATO Alliance is 26 nationsstrong, the organisation relies on a greatnumber of other countries to assist inconflicted regions throughout the world. Partnership for Peace was created to breakdown barriers and to build security throughdialogue and cooperation—that processcontinues through conferences like“Understanding Transformation.” Partnernations like FYROM are already supportingNATO operations in areas like Kosovo, Iraqand Afghanistan.

NATO’s Assistant Secretary General forDefence, Policy and Planning John Colstonspoke on the topic of NATO transformationand the role of Partner nations.

“NATO and its Partners are working toconfront threats to our security on anincreasingly global scale,” Colston said. “We

have to recognise [these threats] know noborders. Only sustained efforts by theinternational community can promote peaceand stability, create a solid basis fordemocracy, and economic growth.”

As NATO looks to expand further, countriesthat may join in the future will need to beeducated on how the Alliance is changing. As well, NATO members also have to beeducated on what transformational conceptsand efforts are taking place outside theAlliance to ensure interoperability in currentand future operations.

Smith said conferences such as the one heldin Skopje are an important part of maintainingopen communications.

“We are discussing not only how we aretransforming our militaries and ministry ofdefence organisations, but the experiences ofnew member nations in their transformationalefforts and this is what the conference is allabout,” Smith said. “It’s about giving anopportunity for dialogue and cooperationbetween NATO and PfP nations.”

BUCHAREST, Romania—NATO’s supreme commanderresponsible for transformation found Romania’s militarytransformation “impressive” and “on target” during an official visitMarch 12 and 13.

The first visit to this country by U.S. Air Force Gen. Lance L.

Smith, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, includedmeetings with President Traian Basescu and Romanian Army Gen.Eugen Badalan, Chief of the General Staff.

“It is very impressive how far Romania has come in what I call thetransformation journey,” said Smith at a press conference on March12. “The plan for the future is aggressive and, I think, clearly in theright direction.”

Romania’s armed forces have reduced from a standing force of 400,000in the mid-1990s to a current strength of 95,000. The one-time largelyconscript force is being replaced by a fully professional one.

The country’s new transformation strategy sets target dates of2015 for full NATO and European Union “operational integration,”and 2025 for full “technical integration.” Based on historicaldefence levels, Badalan called the plan “realistic.”

“The key part of transformation is that whatever equipmentRomania buys that it be interoperable with the other equipmentthat NATO is operating,” said Smith in response to a reporter askinghis opinion on what equipment Romania should buy.

“That’s what General Badalan and the general staff are workingtoward, and we will help in any way possible,” the general added. “And I think the plans are right on target.”

“The challenges, which are many, really require national commitmentand political will. Too often, people approach transformation as away to save money. But the fact is, at the very beginning it’s notcheap and it’s not easy,” the supreme commander said.

Romania has been a strong contributor to NATO and coalitionoperations, from the Balkans to Afghanistan and Iraq. Since 2004,it has been averaging some 2000 troops deployed. Three Romaniansoldiers have died in action in Afghanistan since 9/11.

SACT: Romania’s transformation ‘impressive’SACT: Romania’s transformation ‘impressive’SACT: Romania’s transformation ‘impressive’SACT: Romania’s transformation ‘impressive’SACT: Romania’s transformation ‘impressive’

U.S. Air Force Gen. Lance Smith (right) inspects troops from the30th Guard Regiment, during the Ceremonial Guard, at theRomanian Ministry of Defense Headquarters during his visit toRomania. The Romanian Chief of General Staff Gen. EugenBadalan accompanied him on his inspection. Photo: RomanianArmed Forces.

By Canadian Forces Cmdr. J.D. ScanlonACT Public Information Office

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SACT: Hi-tech a ‘double-edged sword’SACT: Hi-tech a ‘double-edged sword’SACT: Hi-tech a ‘double-edged sword’SACT: Hi-tech a ‘double-edged sword’SACT: Hi-tech a ‘double-edged sword’

VIENNA—With the proliferation of “dualuse” technology that has both military andcivil applications, nations have a greaterresponsibility to defend such technologyfrom misuse by criminals and terrorists, Gen.Lance L. Smith told some 300 delegates hereat the headquarters of theOrganisation for Security andCooperation in Europe.

The dual-hatted NATOSupreme Allied CommanderTransformation and CommanderU.S. Joint Forces Command wasa keynote speaker at the OSCESeminar on Military Doctrine,Feb. 14-15. This was theinternational organisation’s fifthseminar on military doctrinesince 1991.

“We live in an era whentechnology offers incrediblepotential to increase collectivesecurity within Europe and therest of the world. But this is notnew. We’ve relied successfullyon technology to ensurecollective security for manyyears,” said Smith.

At the same time, the supreme commanderand other speakers acknowledged thattechnological advances were also helpingterrorists and extremists.

“Asymmetric warfare is becoming moreand more sophisticated, and—whenenabled by access to technology—it canachieve disproportionate strategic effects,”he said. “The potential for 21st century

By Canadian Forces Cmdr.J. D. Scanlon

ACT Public Information Officedual-use technology falling into the wronghands remains problematic — no nation isimmune from the risk of diverting defensegoods and technology into the wronghands.”

Speaking on the first afternoon of theseminar, General Smith told the largelymilitary audience that he believed suchthreats would continue to “shock our

collective security interests for theforeseeable future.” The solution, hesuggested, was greater internationalcooperation and technology sharingamongst partner nations andorganizations.

“These new decentralised, amorphousthreats make coalitions and partnershipseven more important than they’ve ever been

in the past. No nation is so large they cango it alone, and no nation is so small that itcannot contribute strategically,” he said.

“Interoperability is the key to effectivemultinational operations, andinteroperability hinges on technology. Tomake technology useful to us, we need tofocus it on increasing interoperability,” headded.

The main focus of the seminarwas “new threats and emergingtechnology.” This generateddebate about whether somenations could afford the highcosts of new technologies.

“Every nation has the ability,or should have the ability, to filla needed capability,” Smithsaid. “There is still a great dealof capacity that can be filledwith respect to very specific, butperhaps routine missions.”

“There isn’t a technology gapbetween our nations, but thereis a capability gap driven by acommitment and funding gap,and this leads to interoperabilitygaps,” he said. “Investments intechnology for our collectivedefense are costly, but not doingso will be even costlier,” he

concluded.The OSCE is a regional security

organisation with 55 member-states fromNorth America, Europe, and Asia. Morethan 300 high-level officials, includingchiefs-of-defence staff, senior militarypersonnel, defence diplomats, academics,and industry experts participated in theseminar.

The dual-hatted NATO Supreme Allied CommanderTransformation and Commander U.S. Joint Forces Commandwas a keynote speaker at the OSCE Seminar on MilitaryDoctrine, Feb. 14-15, 2006. This was the internationalorganisation’s fifth seminar on military doctrine since 1991.Photo: NATO

OBERAMMERGAU, Germany – From Nov. 28 to Dec. 9, 214students participated in a revised logistical training programmedeveloped by Allied Command Transformation at the NATO Schoolin Oberammergau.

The purpose of this two-week training programme was to preparelogistical personnel from NATO, Partnership for Peace andMediterranean dialogue nations in NATO logistical and movementplanning to support the NATO Response Force. It also focused onout-of-area expeditionary operations and sustaining ongoingmissions in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and Pakistan.

ACT’s programme revision condensed four logistical courses intoone time period. This decreased the amount of time needed, removedduplicate information, allowed for more subject matter experts to

participate, and saved valuable training money for participants andthe NATO School.

The first week consisted of three courses; the expeditionarylogistics course, the joint logistics operations course and themovement operational planning course. This revised conceptpresented lectures and hands-on training on topics that directlyaffect operations. These covered key areas such as command andcontrol, and multinational logistical operations in a MultinationalJoint Logistics Centre. The second week consisted of theExpeditionary Logistic Planning course in which lectures and hands-on training in logistical planning were provided. These covered thekey areas of the operational planning process and specific logisticalplanning considerations.

NATO School conducts special logistics courseNATO School conducts special logistics courseNATO School conducts special logistics courseNATO School conducts special logistics courseNATO School conducts special logistics course

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By U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joel I. Huval

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NORFOLK, Va. — One of the main concerns of a commander duringa military operation is keeping well informed of the threats posed tothe forces under his command.

Human intelligence, or intelligence gathered by human sourcesrather than electronic sources, is one of the commander’s tools forgathering the information he needs to keep his forces safe and hisoperation bases secure. As commanders change their strategies tomeet the evolving threats they face, they will also have to change theway they gather and use the information provided by humanintelligence.

Allied Command Transformation’s Intelligence Branch division hasbeen instrumental in driving NATO into changing the world of humanintelligence to ensure compatibility among Alliance nations.

Polish Lt. Col. Janusz Jesionowski, Allied Command TransformationIntelligence Branch and HUMINT working group chairman, said theneed for human intelligence sharing among the NATO nations waspushed to the forefront following the 2002 Prague Summit andsubsequent NATO operations.

“The way we managed human intelligence needed to betransformed,” Jesionowski said.

The answer to the transformation problem was to first create ahuman intelligence working group vested with the appropriateexpertise and authority to ensure that the development of doctrineand training would be valid.

“Without doctrine, normal collective training is not possible,” saidLt. Robert Burgess Jr., a 12-year, U.S. Navy intelligence expert withthe ACT Intelligence Capabilities Branch.

“We were able to coordinate with partner nations and NATOMilitary Authorities and were able to get everyone to agree thatthere wasn’t any sense in duplicating each others’ work,” Burgesssaid. “You have to break down the walls regarding informationsharing, or there isn’t really any intelligence.”

Burgess said there were no specific guidelines for NATO tofollow in human intelligence gathering. The doctrine that theIntelligence Branch created was pieced together from severalorganisations and previously written documents contributed bythe United States and Great Britain.

“Doctrine is the guiding principle,” Burgess said. “From doctrinecomes training, education and implementation of themechanisms.”

One tangible result is that the NATO School in Oberammergau,Germany will begin training NATO troops on the topic, beginningthis summer. However, the purpose of the NATO school course isnot to teach Alliance troops how to perform human intelligencegathering, but to teach them how to manage multinational counterintelligence and security capabilities. Military and civilianintelligence specialists are expected to attend the course.

“NATO is only going to teach how to manage intelligencegathering within NATO,” Burgess said. “It will be up to thenations to ensure their people meet the minimum requirements setforth in the doctrine.” But here again, ACT is helping byestablishing common standards and looking to how HUMINToperations should develop in the future.

“People attending the course must first be a national expert inHUMINT intelligence,” added Jesionowski. “Our course will helpthem to work in a multinational environment.”

The development of Doctrine and the establishment of theNATO School J2X Course are the first steps towards a wider andbetter incorporation of HUMINT in NATO.

By incorporating HUMINT more efficiently into the overallintelligence collection plan the commander will be better informedabout the adversary and gain greater insight into the socialaspects, such as culture and religion, that affect the area he isoperating in, information essential to supporting an effects basedapproach to operations.

NURC, Mine Warfare Centre team up for experimentNURC, Mine Warfare Centre team up for experimentNURC, Mine Warfare Centre team up for experimentNURC, Mine Warfare Centre team up for experimentNURC, Mine Warfare Centre team up for experimentBy Tony Fuller

NURC Public Information Office

ACT to conduct HUMINT courseACT to conduct HUMINT courseACT to conduct HUMINT courseACT to conduct HUMINT courseACT to conduct HUMINT course

LA SPEZIA, Italy — Amphibious landings have always played avital role in conventional warfighting. While a successful assault onenemy beaches can be the pivotal point in an engagement, such alanding can be made extremely dangerous if there is a large presence ofmines and underwater obstructions that can slow, or ultimately stop,amphibious troops from reaching their target.

Recently, The Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Platoon fromCommander, Mine Warfare Command (CMWC) returned fromcollaborative experimentation conducted at the NATO UnderseaResearch Center in La Spezia, Italy.

Experimentation recently took place off the northwest coast of Italy.The primary objectives of the experiment were to assist in testing theNATO prototype autonomous underwater vehicle planning andevaluation tool and develop tactics, techniques, and procedures foremployment of small UUVs from surface mine countermeasures vessels.

Led by Lt. j.g. Melissa Flores, members of the UUV Platoon operated

two remote environmental monitoring units, or REMUS vehicles,equipped with a sidescan sonar from the NURC research vesselLeonardo, “flying” multiple missions.

During the five-day event, they carried out key mine countermeasurestasks such as searching for and classifying mine-like contacts andother tactical objectives.

NURC scientist-in-charge Dr. Ben Evans, was responsible forproducing the trials plan. Personnel from the Naval OceanographicOffice, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., and Hydroid,the manufacturer of the REMUS system supported the CMWC team.

This experiment and associated data collection and analysis directlycontributed to accomplishment of U.S. Navy Surface MineCountermeasure User Operational Evaluation System (UOES)objectives and also satisfied several key Sea Trial objectives, to includethe use of the littoral combat ship.

Sea Trial is the U.S. Navy’s collaborative effort to formalize and fullyintegrate concept development and technical insertion into theexperimentation process. The littoral combat ship, or LCS, is a new

See “NURC” page 6

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BATTLE CREEK, Michigan — More than25 Navy Reserve information systemstechnicians assigned to Allied CommandTransformation gathered in Battle Creek,Mich., Jan. 21-22, to network, learn, and sharetheir technology expertise.

The training centered around NATOComputer and Information systems and howto best support NATO’s Joint Warfare Centrein Stavanger, Norway.

ACT reservists directly support all NATOResponse Force and International SecurityAssistance Force rehearsal exercisesconducted by JWC throughout the year, andbring expertise and valuable skills to thecommand.

Detachment 113 in Battle Creek sponsoredand planned the two-day training event withparticipation by sailors from fellowdetachments in Bessemer, Alabama, Spokane,Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah, Kansas City,Missouri, and Buffalo, New York, in additionto the newly formed Joint Command Lisbon,in Dubuque, Iowa.

The systems training was led by Royal NavyChief Warrant Officer Mick Audus, chief ofcustomer support with the NATO ComputerInformation System Services Agency at JWC.

Most of the exercises conducted at JWCinvolve wide-ranging use of computers andnetwork information systems. Audus said herelies on ACT Navy Reservists to assist himand his staff in setting up and maintainingJWC’s extensive IT systems.

“My job is to determine what skills andresources we have and which we will need tosupport our exercises,” Audus said. “Manyof the reservists bring critical civilian skills toJWC. With them we can network to solve manyof our infrastructure problems. They are atremendous asset to NATO.”

ACT Reservists played a major role in theinitial 2003 setup of the JWC’s Ulsnes trainingsite, a former Norwegian navy base inStavanger harbor, where the NRF and ISAFcertification exercises take place. A team ofACT Navy Reservists helped install the firstinternal communications, computer networksand databases, and pulled cables and laid wirein preparation for the exercises.

Capt. Jeff Smith, ACT Detachment 113commanding officer, was greatly impressedwith the amount of military and civilianexperience these Reservists brought to thetraining conference.

“I was tremendously impressed with thelevel of expertise and knowledge these sailorsalready had. This event helped boost thoseskills even more,” Smith said.

Baldwin and Chief Information SystemsTechnician John Fauer organized the two-dayevent and worked directly with Audus andthe JWC to tailor the training for the Reservists.

The IT Summit comes a year after the BattleCreek detachment successfully hosted thefirst NATO Observer/Trainer Course primarilyinvolving Reserve officers of the detachment.

“We are very pleased with how well thetraining was received by all attendees,” Smithsaid. “By supporting the development of ourenlisted IT’s, we can better serve the JWCand all of its ever-growing IT needs. We feelthat we are playing a key role in thetransformation of NATO and its ability toengage in the global war on terrorism and otherconflicts throughout the world.”

NATO Reserve units hold IT summitNATO Reserve units hold IT summitNATO Reserve units hold IT summitNATO Reserve units hold IT summitNATO Reserve units hold IT summit

breed of fast, agile, and networked warships,which will operate with focused-missionpackages, including deploying manned andunmanned vehicles to execute missions.

Another highlight of the experimentfeatured multiple UUV operations fromLeonardo, involving the platoon’s twoREMUS vehicles and a HUGIN 1000 AUVoperated by a team from the RoyalNorwegian Navy.

The vehicles operated simultaneously inan area seeded with mine-like targets.HUGIN-detected contacts were passed tothe CMWC UUV Platoon onboard Leonardofor “on-the-fly” re-direction of REMUSUUVs for reacquisition. The technique willhelp pave the way for development of moresophisticated multiple vehicle tactics,techniques and procedures.

Flores said teamwork played a large part insuccessful testing. “Working with the NATOscientists and Norwegian Navy was a treat,”she said. “They were extremely professionaland gave us ideas for future experimentationfor the UOES program. Our observations ofboth UUVs will benefit the LCS program.”

Flores’ sentiments were echoed by Scott Price, the assistant chief ofstaff for Mine Warfare programs at the Mine Warfare Center.

Price said the benefits of this testing willcarry into the future.

“The data collected will help to improvethe tactical planning tool being developedat the centre,” Price said. “This planningtool will dramatically improveinteroperability amongst NATO alliesemploying, or planning to employ UUVs.”

Commander, Mine Warfare CommandRear Adm. Deb Loewer said she waspleased with results of the testing.

“I have engaged directly with senior warfighter leadership in both the Fifth andSeventh Fleet,” she said. “During theseengagements, we have improved ourunderstanding of exactly what they needand expect from us in order to win anybattle they are called upon to fight andthey have gained a heightenedappreciation for both the capabilities andlimitations of today’s mine countermeasureforce. As a result, we have embarked on aprogram aimed at accelerating thedemonstration and assessment of newtechnologies in forward operating areas.The recent experiment carried out incooperation with NURC is the first of

many such engagements; the next will occur in the during RIMPAC06.”

NURC NURC NURC NURC NURC (From page 5)

By Lt. Cmdr. T. R. Shaw (Ret.),NMCRC Battle Creek Public Affairs

Norwegian Navy Lt. Ole Langhaug of theNorwegian Navy Hugin Team prepares theHUGIN 1000 for a mission. Photo: Wade Sigstedt

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ACT hosts NRFC Mid-Winter MeetingACT hosts NRFC Mid-Winter MeetingACT hosts NRFC Mid-Winter MeetingACT hosts NRFC Mid-Winter MeetingACT hosts NRFC Mid-Winter Meeting

NORFOLK, Va. – NATO’s National Reserve Forces Committeeheld their Mid-Winter Meeting at Allied Command Transformationheadquarters Feb. 14-16 for the first time outside Europe. Thisstanding Committee advises the NATO command structure on allReserve component issues, while also sharing “best practices”among the nations in the Alliance plus Australia. The Committee,which includes headsof delegation from 20countries, also touredthe Norfolk NavalBase and the USSWasp as part of theirfirst meeting in theUnited States.

During theconference, U.S.Navy Cmdr. Eric Jabs,a full-time supportofficer, said the timeU.S. Reservists spendtraining, deployingand workingalongside activeforces equates tohaving 31 additionalactive duty membersat ACT. The ACTReserve program iscurrently being validated to the Joint and Navy Staffs inWashington, D.C.

“Reservists are actively working with Alliance nations in trainingPartnership for Peace troops, participating in Iraq, Afghanistan, andSudan operations, plus certifying the NATO Response Force,” saidJabs. “We have 12 U.S. Reserve units that support NATO operationsthroughout the world. Although currently all are Navy positions, weare starting to incorporate other services to further our role.”

NRFC Chairman German Air Force Maj. Gen. Klaus-Peter Trechesaid Reserve forces are not only necessary to increase manninglevels in operations, but provide much needed technical support tothe units they support.

“The active forces cannot do without reservists,” Treche said.“They are needed for endurance, but also serve two specialpurposes. Reserves work in two fields; in the classical military fieldand in a new field since the changing of the new world order in1990, after the teardown of the Berlin Wall and the breakdown ofthe Eastern system.”

Treche said reservists bring specialised skills to many operationsthat the active forces lack.

“Reserves are involved in peace support and reconstructionoperations and they require nation building afterward,” Treche said.“With nation building, we need reservists with specialised civilianskills to support these operations.”

Although reservists provide special skills, Treche said there arethree areas to consider when employing Reserve forces.

“There is a need for interoperability and integration of Reserveand active forces,” Treche said. “To this extent, we have to trainand educate reservists to ensure there is no difference betweenthese forces. We also have to ensure employer support for activatedservice members.”

Treche said training is reciprocated between Reserve and activetroops to maintain both military and technical skills for each group.

“We have established courses to make sure reservists keep upwith the same trainingmomentum of theactive forces,” Trechesaid. “Most recently,we have establisheda senior Reserveofficer staff course atthe NATO School inO b e r a m m e r g a u ,Germany, and alsoensure reservistsparticipate in normalfield training. We alsohave established amemorandum ofu n d e r s t a n d i n gbetween the UnitedKingdom and Canadato allow reserviststhat serve eachcountry’s army tomeet each other’s

military needs.”The NRFC was established in 1981 as an independent, informal

group of senior national officers responsible for reserve matters.The committee’s objectives are to strengthen the Alliance reserves

readiness by providing a forum for informal and candid exchangeof information in areas such as mobilisation, organisation ofpeacetime reserve forces, motivation of reserve forces and employersupport. It serves as a committee to provide policy advice on reserveissues to NATO’s Military Committee. The NRFC also providesappropriate advice and support to the Confédération Interalliéedes Officiers de Réserve (CIOR), to assist them in their activities insupport of Alliance goals and to advise the MC on its relationshipwith the CIOR.

CIOR was established in 1948 and is an umbrella organisationconsisting of national reserve associations in NATO, Partnershipfor Peace nations and other invited countries, encompassing morethan one million reserve officers. Its mission is to forge links betweenreservists and NATO military authorities, to encourage theestablishment and proliferation of ties among reserve officers fromparticipating countries and to ensure that reservists’ duties, rights,training and mobilisation are uniform while respecting theirdifferences and national traditions. Since the inception of the PfPprogramme, CIOR has assumed the task of encouraging the creationof organisations for reserve officers in PfP countries. Cooperationis one inevitable priority, since it is essential to international securityand stability. CIOR also regularly updates the Military Committee.

By U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joel I. Huval

Members of the NATO Reserve Forces Committee met for the Mid-Winter Meeting atAllied Command Transformation headquarters Feb. 14-16 to discuss the force’s currentand future roles in the Alliance. Photo: U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Miguel Doncell.

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NORFOLK, Va. - Members of a Greekdefence delegation met with AlliedCommand Transformation leadership Feb.

16 at ACT headquarters to discuss ties infuture Alliance capabilities and Greektransformation efforts.

Greek Navy Cdre. Ioannis Alvertos,defence policy director of the HellenicNational Defence General Staff, alsodiscussed his country’s role in currentNATO-led operations.

One of the major changes Greece has madesince transformation within the NATOAlliance began in 2002, is the creation of anEvolution Office under the chief of the Greekarmed forces.

“The creation of this office is to help adjustNATO’s transformational decisions with ournational interests andensure we are incompliance withNATO requirements,”Alvertos said.

Along withsupporting NATOt r a n s f o r m a t i o n ,Greece is supportingevery current NATO operation fromproviding security in Afghanistan tooffering relief in Pakistan.

“Our total participation in these missionsamount to approximately 1,260 personneland our financial support over the past twoyears is almost $600 million,” Alvertos said.

Alvertos said one of the majorcontributions Greece has made has been inproviding support in NATO-led operations

Greek defence delegation visits ACTGreek defence delegation visits ACTGreek defence delegation visits ACTGreek defence delegation visits ACTGreek defence delegation visits ACT

Greek Navy Cdre. Ioannis Alvertos,defence policy director of the HellenicNational Defence General Staff

“We believe that when Iraq achieves its re-integration in the world community, progress and

prosperity in the region will be positively affected.”Cmdre. Ioannis Alvertos,

defence policy director,Hellenic National Defence General Staff

OBERAMMERGAU, Germany - The NATO School was greatlyhonoured to welcome the Alliance’s senior civilian representativein Afghanistan, Minister Hikmet Cetin, Feb. 3.

Cetin arrived from London where he had been attending theInternational Conference to discuss the challenges and futuresupport for the development of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

The former Turkish foreign minister described it as a “criticaljuncture in Afghan history,” when addressing the 90 studentsattending the NATO Peace Support Operations Course.

The Course Director, Lt. Col. Brian Clesham, described the visitas “timely,” the students having already received an update ofthe expansion plans for NATO’s International Security andAssistance Force, an in-depth examination of the United Kingdom’sProvincial Reconstruction Team in Muzarr-e-Sharif, and anacademic overview of NATO’s role in the Region.

The minister’s address, which was followed by a vigorousquestion and answer period, provided an outstanding politicaloverview of the challenges that face Afghanistan, and the

planned expansion of the Alliance’sstabilisation and assistance role. Hehighlighted the remarkable progressthat had been made following theBonn Summit of Dec. 5, 2001. Thishad paved the way for presidentialelections and subsequently theelection of a National Assembly andProvincial Councils.

Cetin was quick to point out thatthe future stability and developmentof the country depended oncommitment from NATO and theinternational community, adding that “the Alliance cannot turnits back on the call for assistance and partnership with theAfghans.”

With more than 10,000 students attending the NATO school in2005, the School plays a pivotal role in the provision of educationand training in support of Alliance operations, the transformationof the Alliance and its international cooperative programmes.

in Iraq, in both the areas of training and,equipment and monetary donations.

“Greece supports the international effortsfor its reconstruction,” he said. “We believethat when Iraq achieves its re-integration inthe world community, progress andprosperity in the region will be positivelyaffected.”

Most recently, Greece assisted in thedelivery of 77 T-72 Hungarian tanks, as wellas donating 36 or its own BMP-1 armouredpersonnel vehicles, to assist in creating thefirst armoured division for the Iraqi securityforces.

The tanks were delivered by the Greek

vessel Aegean Star and arrived in KuwaitNov. 6, 2005.

“We recently received a letter from theIraqi authorities thanking Greece becausethe armoured personnel vehicles and relatedequipment were in excellent condition andusable from the first day of delivery,”Alvertos said.

Greece has also pledged to donate andtransport 64 more BMP-1 APVs in the future.

Senior rep to Afghanistan visits NATO SchoolSenior rep to Afghanistan visits NATO SchoolSenior rep to Afghanistan visits NATO SchoolSenior rep to Afghanistan visits NATO SchoolSenior rep to Afghanistan visits NATO SchoolBy NATO School Public Affairs Office

Minister Hikmet Cetin

Page 9Transformer

OTTAWA, Canada – The former NATO Supreme AlliedCommander Transformation and Commander, U.S. Joint ForcesCommand U.S. Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. was namedas a recipient of the Canadian Government’s Meritorious ServiceCross for his service in the capacity of SACT, Norfolk, Va.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, GovernorGeneral of Canada, announced Giambastiani as one of fiveMeritorious Service Decoration recipients for the military divisionJan. 24.

“As SACT and Commander USJFCOM Adm. Giambastianiprovided outstanding leadership, personal example and unbridleddrive to ensure that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is readyto meet the challenges of the future,” said ACT Chief of StaffCanadian Army Lt. Gen. Michel Maisonneuve upon receiving newsof the award. “As the first Supreme Allied CommanderTransformation, he has inspired the 26 Alliance Members toovercome conventional procedures and organization, and developa collective spirit of advanced thinking and innovative applicationof Alliance capabilities to serve our common needs of the future.”

The Meritorious Service Decorations are separated into militaryand civil divisions, with two levels each: a medal and a cross. Themilitary division recognises individuals who have performed anexceptional deed or an activity that brought honour to theircommunity or to Canada.

“His efforts on behalf of the Alliance and the U.S. Armed Forceshave had a great impact on Canada specifically,” Maisonneuve

Former SACT Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. was one of fiveMeritorious Service Decoration recipients for the military divisionin a ceremony held in Ottawa Jan. 24. Photo: NATO

said. “His compelling vision and tenacious pursuit of strong multi-national support for partnership and the conduct of Allianceoperations contributed significantly to the advancement ofprogrammes critical to the national objectives of Canada.”

Giambastiani departed his posts at ACT and USJFCOM Aug. 1,2005 to serve in his current capacity as the seventh vice chairmanof the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Former SACT receives Canadian Former SACT receives Canadian Former SACT receives Canadian Former SACT receives Canadian Former SACT receives Canadian Meritorious Meritorious Meritorious Meritorious Meritorious CrossCrossCrossCrossCross

NATO School NCO named 2005 ACT MMOYNATO School NCO named 2005 ACT MMOYNATO School NCO named 2005 ACT MMOYNATO School NCO named 2005 ACT MMOYNATO School NCO named 2005 ACT MMOY

NORFOLK, Va. – During aceremony at AlliedCommand TransformationHeadquarters, seniorenlisted members fromthroughout ACT announcedtheir selection for theMilitary Member of the Yearfor 2005.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt.Christopher Upeslacis, fromthe NATO School inOberammergau, Germanyedged out his competitors inan extremely tightcompetition, said U.S. NavyChief Petty Officer DouglasHalay, from the office ofSACT Representative toEurope, one of the boardmembers judging thecompetition. He alsoreceived a Joint Service CommendationMedal.

“It was really hard to choose acandidate,” said Halay. “It was really close,

but when it came down to it, he just kepthis poise all week long. His presentation,

and his answers were very professional.He’s an ideal representative for ACT.”

Seven candidates took part in a weeklongcompetition, during which they were

judged on their professionalism, militarybearing, character and social skills by ACT

senior enlisted leaders. Thecandidates gavepresentations, attended socialevents and were interviewedby the board members. This isthe first time the competitionhas been held at ACTheadquarters.

The candidates were DanishNavy Cpl. Søren Boeriis, fromSTRE in Brussels, Belgium;German Army Staff Sgt. MartinBonczek, from the Joint WarfareCentre in Stavanger, Norway;U.S. Navy Petty Officer FirstClass Terry Cerami, from StaffElement Europe in Brussels,Belgium; Belgian Army MasterSgt. August DeCraecker, fromthe Joint Forces TrainingCentre in Bydgoszcz, Poland;Canadian Army Sgt. Todd Grant,

from SACT HQ; Sr. Cpl. David Peixoto, fromthe Joint Analysis Lessons Learned Centre

By U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2ndClass Tyce Velde

Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation British Royal NavyAdm. Sir Mark Stanhope presents a plaque to U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt.Christopher Upeslacis, from the NATO School in Oberammergau,Germany on his selection as ACT’s Military Member of the Year for2005. Photo: ACT Photo Lab

See “MMOY” page 10

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in Lisbon, Portugal and Staff Sgt. Upeslacis.“The people here before you are what I call the best of the

best,” said Deputy Supreme Allied Commander TransformationBritish Royal Navy Adm. Sir Mark Stanhope. “Not only that, butwhen I got here four years ago, it was predominately Navy. Nowwe have representatives from all branches and nations. It’s truly acombined and joint atmosphere.”

Holding the competition at the headquarters gives thecandidates a unique opportunity to meet, in person, membersfrom the different commands, said U.S. Navy Master Chief StevenWacker, ACT Command Master Chief.

“This is the first time they’ve come here,” he added. “It allowspeople who have never come here a chance to visit and see howthe headquarters actually works. They get a first-hand view ofthis command and an opportunity to interact with our staff.”

Though many of the personnel from different ACT commandsin Portugal, Norway, Germany, Poland and Belgium work togethervia email and telephone, this is a unique opportunity to meet

some of them in person, said Cerami.“It’s nice to put a face to the names we see in emails and the people

I talk to on the phone,” said Cerami. “I work with people in theheadquarters often, but it’s different to physically be here, and sayhello and shake their hand.”

Upeslacis was stunned by his selection. The competition was soclose, he said, that no one knew going into the ceremony who wouldreceive the award.

“It feels very different,” he said. “The competition was extremelyhigh. It really could have been any one of us. I didn’t expect to winit. It’s a good thing, for the NATO School, too, because we haven’tbeen a member of ACT very long, and this puts us on the map.”

Stanhope congratulated not only Upeslacis, but the other sixcandidates, and the candidates for the individual commands’competitions. The non-commissioned officers throughout NATOare such high calibre, anyone selected for the MMOY competitiondeserves congratulations, he said.

“We haven’t had to work hard across ACT to pull out talent,”he added. “There’s a sea of it out there. It makes me enormouslyproud to be the deputy commander of this organisation.”

MMOYMMOYMMOYMMOYMMOY(From page 9)

ACT supports Crisis Management Exercise 2006ACT supports Crisis Management Exercise 2006ACT supports Crisis Management Exercise 2006ACT supports Crisis Management Exercise 2006ACT supports Crisis Management Exercise 2006Command tackles improved response to threatsCommand tackles improved response to threatsCommand tackles improved response to threatsCommand tackles improved response to threatsCommand tackles improved response to threats

By U.S. Navy Chief Petty OfficerJoel I. Huval

NORFOLK, Va. – A suicide bomber in a citysubway station is watching and calculatingwhen best to attack a group of NATOpersonnel beginning their morningcommute. Improvised explosivedevices are in place near an entranceto a NATO training site. Right now,a terrorist cell is plotting a biologicalattack at a NATO command building.

This may sound like an excerptripped from the pages of a recentwork of thrilling fiction, but how farfrom the truth is it?

From March 1-7, NATO held CrisisManagement Exercise 2006 at itsheadquarters in Brussels, Belgium,to tackle how best to improve thecommunication, response andoverall management of these specificscenarios.

The scenario for this exercise wasfictitious. The portrayed crisisfocused on progressively developingasymmetric threats to NATO Allies stemmingfrom outside the Euro-Atlantic area. Theenvironment included a wide range of threatsincluding terrorism and the potential ofaggressive action, including those of achemical, biological and radiological nature,against NATO forces, territory andpopulations. The scenario was run with the

idea in mind for preliminary operationalplanning for the possible activation andemployment of the NATO Response Force.However, no troops were actually deployedfor the purpose of this exercise.

All 26 NATO nations were involved in theplanning of CMX 2006.

CMX 2006 is an annual exercise sponsoredby NATO’s secretary general and is jointlyrun by the international staff, the internationalmilitary staff and the two NATO strategiccommands, Allied Command Operations andACT.

Participants in CMX 2006 included civil and

military staffs in national capitals, at NATOHeadquarters, and in both strategiccommands. Representatives from the UN,European Union and the Organization forSecurity and Cooperation in Europe were

invited as observers.CMFC: Solution hub

A major experiment in CMX06investigated how the experimentalCrisis Management Fusion Centrecould contribute to sharedsituational awareness andunderstanding at the political/military strategic level. Theexperiment explored how sharedsituational awareness could becollaboratively developed betweenexperiment personnel who staffedthe CMFC along with relevantNATO headquarters personnel whoparticipated in the exercise.

As part of its work to supportconcept development andexperimentation within NATO, the

ACT Modeling & Simulation Section wasintimately involved in modeling severalexperimental CMX activities and providedseveral models and simulations to aid conceptdevelopers.

The CMFC concept was developed basedon a several-cell centre that fuses available

This model is a simulation created by the M&S Coordina-tion section used to demonstrate the use of three local hos-pitals in a centralised area. Doctor/patient availabilityrate can be tested and changed to maximise facility use.

See “M&S” page 11

Page 11Transformer

information and makes it available via theNATO strategic overview Web site. The ACTM&S Section creates simulations to helpidentify the most efficient and effectiveprocesses to be used within the CMFC. Thesimulations develop information such asmeasurements of average cycle time (fromentering the fusion centre until actions aretaken), waiting times, predictions ofbottlenecks, and recommendations forimprovement. The simulations were beingvalidated with data captured during CMX2006 so as to improve their value as predictivetools in enhancing the performance of theCMFC in future Crisis Management Exercises.

Modeling & Simulation:ACT’s all-purpose tool

ACT’s Modeling & Simulation Sectionworks within the full web of NATOtransformation.

When NATO began sweeping structuraland strategic changes in 2003, it began layingthe foundation for improved processes inboth communication and producingcapabilities for deployable forces.

Paul Sherland, the M&S Coordinationsection head, said the section has a three-fold mission.

“We promote collaboration between ACTand the various modeling and simulationbodies in NATO, identify simulationrequirements, sponsor activities to developsolutions to meet these requirements, and

coordinate the implementation of solutions,”he said. “We also support growing ACTinitiatives to develop and refine concepts,define capability requirements, and deviseexperimental and testing programs.”

One way M&S is working to meet thismission is in the realm of effects-basedapproach to operations.

EBAO is a process for obtaining a desiredstrategic outcome or “effect” on the enemy,through application of the full range ofmilitary and non-military capabilities at thetactical, operational, and strategic levels.

By using specialised software, the M&Ssection is developing computer simulationsof EBAO relationships and factors in a varietyof NATO-relevant scenarios.

“Our simulation capabilities are also usefulfor rapid concept prototyping,” Sherlandsaid. “What we have done is provide severalmodels and simulations to aid conceptdevelopers in creating ways to combateverything from IEDs to establishing betterlogistical support.”

This mandate keeps M&S Coordination instep with ACT’s newly established IntegratedCapability Teams.

ACT implemented five ICTs in 2005 as thecore of the capability management frameworkfor managing the transformation of theAlliance’s military capability. The ICTs areformed into a dedicated core team andconcentrate on specific areas of militarytransformation.

ICTs identify and map transformationwork that is already taking place and that

M&S M&S M&S M&S M&S (From page 10) which is planned or anticipated in theforeseeable future. The role of the ICTs isto coordinate transformation work, whichotherwise would be conducted in isolation.

“We are currently using simulation tosupport the integrated logistics, effectiveengagement and joint manouvre,expeditionary operations, and enhancedcivil-military cooperation ICTs,” Sherlandsaid. “We have been working with logisticsto assist in evaluating concepts for aNATO operations support chain for futureNATO Response Force deployments,which could promote integration andinteroperability in deployed operations.”

Working with the Counter IED IntegratedProject Team, the M&S CoordinationSection has developed several simulationmodels to demonstrate simulation’spotential for rapid concept developmentand testing. In the future, the M&SCoordination section will becomeincreasingly involved with the CIED-IPTto help find better ways to reducing, or eveneliminating, the devastating effects ofIEDs.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect ofM&S is that it is a highly inexpensivemethod of predicting situational outcomes,coupled with the additional bonus ofestablishing concepts at an acceleratedpace. “Our section can produce andmodify simulations in a very short time,”Sherland said. “This is an interactiveapproach to concept development, and away to help concepts develop rapidly.”

OTTAWA, Canada — During his first visit to Canada asNATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, U.S.Air Force Gen. Lance L. Smith was warmly welcomed bythe country’s defence community. He and Canadian ForcesGen. Raymond Henault, chairman of NATO’s MilitaryCommittee, addressed more than 400 senior defenceofficials, academics, analysts and journalists Feb. 23, 2006.Organized by the Conference of Defence AssociationsInstitute, a national defence and security advocacy group,the seminar focused on the transformation of Canada’sarmed forces. Referring to recent steps toward a highlyjoint command structure, Smith cited Canada as a leaderin transformation and a model for other NATO memberand partner nations. Photo: Canadian Air Force Cpl.Eduardo Mora Pineda.

Lights, camera...Lights, camera...Lights, camera...Lights, camera...Lights, camera...

ACT HappeningsACT HappeningsACT HappeningsACT HappeningsACT HappeningsSteadfast Jackpot (Stavanger, Norway):April 25 - May 10

Steadfast Jaguar (Cape Verde):June 1 - July 12

ACT Seminar (Stavanger, Norway):June 20-22

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Azalea on ice....

Canadian Forces Lt. Gen. Michel Maisonneuve, ACT Chief of Staff, drops the puck for the face off between Jason Jaspers, #8 forthe Springfield Falcons and Shawn Thornton, #55 for the Admirals to begin the Norfolk Admirals’ Azalea Festival Night game.Norfolk’s International Azalea Festival and NATO celebrated one of Canada’s national past times with the Norfolk AdmiralsSaturday, Feb. 11, at the Norfolk Scope Arena. The Admirals defeated the Falcons 3-1.

“Canada is this year’s most honored nation and we were thrilled that the Admirals hosted a special festival night,” said festivalchairman Chuck Rigney.

Azalea pucks were given away to the first 3,000 Admirals fans who arrived at the game.This year’s festival will be held April 24 - 30. Photo: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyce Velde

Azalea Festival free-events calendarApril 24 — Sister City Event, Hampton BridgeApril 26 — Flag Raising, HQ-SACTApril 27 — Student Forum, Tidewater Community College

Canadian Ships Reception, Waterside NorfolkApril 28 —Coronation of Queen and Court, Botanical GardenApril 29 — International Parade Waterside Drive

NATOfest, Town Point ParkFor more information about this year’s Azalea Festival andspecific times for these events, visit the organisation’s Web site:www.azaleafestival.org