US Air Force,
STAVANGER, Norway: The mission in Afghanistan is one of the most challenging tasks NATO has taken on as it provides security and stability for the war-torn country via the International Security Assistance Force.
To ensure ISAF troops are ready for this Afghanistan mission NATO leaders are relying on the Joint Warfare Center located at Stavanger, Norway.
“Strategic commanders see training and exercise as absolutely central for their forces as they either proceed in Afghanistan or the NATO response force,” said JWC Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Philip Ruhlman.
So operational battle staff … from the commanding general down to staff officers … take part in a two-week exercise at the JWC. The computer-based training uses scenarios they can expect to see downrange.
“So what we'll do is send a corps of individuals into Kabul,” said Col. Jeff Harrigian the joint exercise division chief. “Occasionally we'll go down to Kandahar, Bagram and other locations based on what's going on in theater to get a sense from individuals of what's going on,” he said.
That information is used to build the exercises back at the JWC. All of this happens thanks to a true joint-team, he said.
“The most important part of what I've seen of this job is that NATO and the alliance are really doing some important things right now,” Col Harrigian said. “I think it's important we as an Air Force understand the contributions that not only we make to NATO, but then how JWC has contributed to that effort.”
