NATO ENSEC COE representative participated in NATO Training Synchronization Conference

On the 22-24 February, Head of Education, Training and Exercise Division Major Rimantas Šikas has participated in an annual NATO Training Synchronization Conference (TSC) that was happening in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The TSC has proved to be an excellent forum to bring together Education and Training (E&T) specialists from the NATO Command Structure (NCS) and NATO Force Structure (NFS) HQs, together with Allied and Partner Nations to brief and discuss the latest developments across the whole spectrum of E&T. Based on last recommendations, the format of the TSC 2017 was updated to include more E&T practitioners with the aim of achieving better synchronization.

During the conference, it was also stressed that E&T has the main goal for every level – to prepare the forces for operations. “E&T and operations are not two different shoes, they are a pair”, said Brigadier General Jurgen-Joachim von Sandrart, ACOS J7 (SHAPE) . With this he proved the importance of E&T synchronization.

Representative of European Union (EU) Military Staff of European External Action Service presented the E&T system in the EU and invited the NATO Department Heads to become EU Military training Department Leader. According to him, this would allow to use the synergy of two big international organizations and would help to prevent the duplication of work. 

Department Head Forum was the most important part of the conference for the NATO ENSEC COE. During the Forum the changes of the NATO Global programing were presented to the participants.

Maj.  R. Šikas had the opportunity to meet other Department Heads and to discuss important and relevant questions of the program.  Representative agreed to cooperate with Department Head of Maritime Operations and NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre in order to certify NMIOTC’s Critical infrastructure protection course.

Next event of the NATO global programing (Individual Training and Education Programme Planning Board I) will happen at the end of May and the NATO TSC 2018 will be located in Hungary.