SHAPE News: 2008

Updated: 08-Jan-2009

SHAPE News

2008

January - February - March - April - May -June -July - August -
September - October - November - December

December

SACEUR address to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

19 Dec. - “Transnational terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, piracy, climate change and energy security, cyber attacks, to name just a few – the threats to our collective security in our globalized world – that do not stop at national borders and cannot be successfully addressed by any nation alone. NATO’s role is essential – it has proven its worth in confronting and defeating these and other threats and challenges.” said General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, during a speech to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on the 18th of November.

2008 Year of the NCO recap

16 Dec. - Leadership and professionalism are just a couple of characteristics that come to mind when describing a Non Commissioned Officer. Those and many other positive attributes are used to describe the numerous NCOs who stood out from the rest with North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s designation of 2008 as the Year of the NCO (YNCO). The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General John Craddock, along with the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Gen James N. Mattis, chose this year to communicate to key audiences that NATO values the leadership provided by NCOs in ground operations and that all NCOs should be trained to make decisions and encouraged to use initiative.

Successful completion of NATO mission Operation Allied Provider

12 Dec. - Mons, Belgium – NATO completes its mission to escort World Food Programme (WFP) chartered vessels delivering humanitarian aid today. NATO provided an escort on eight occasions which resulted in the safe delivery of 30,000 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid to Somalia.

551 Iraqi Police Officers graduated from Carabinieri training

Graduates of the Iraqi National Police 6th Leadership Course marching at the Graduation Ceremony

2 Dec. - BAGHDAD, 2 December, 2008. 551 Iraqi Police Officers graduated from the Police Leadership Course carried out by Italian Carabinieri under NATO Training Mission in Iraq at Camp Dublin, Baghdad.

General Bernard “Bernie” Rogers NATO’s Longest Serving Supreme Commander Remembered

2 Dec. - A memorial service to commemorate the life of General Bernard W. Rogers, NATO’s longest serving Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) has been held at the Memorial Chapel, Fort Myer, Virginia. NATO’s military was represented at the service by Major General Leonardo di Marco (Italian Army) and Command Sergeant Major Michael Bartelle (US Army).

November

All change at the NATO Programming Centre, Glons

28 Nov. - Glons, Belgium – Today at the Kazerne Ambiorix in Tongeren, Belgium, the NATO Programming Centre (NPC) Glons conducted a ceremony marking the transfer of tasking authority from Allied Command Operations (ACO) to the NATO Communications Service Agency (NCSA).

Ukrainian ship joins NATO Operation Active Endeavour

17 Nov. - Naples, Italy - 14 November 2008. URS Ternopil will operate, for the second time, under the NATO flag and stand ready to counter the common threat of terrorism at sea, as the Ukrainian ship will today contribute to Operation Active Endeavour (OAE), the NATO maritime contribution to the fight against terrorism, until 09 December 08.

Former SACEUR Dies

07 Nov - The SHAPE community is saddened by the death of US General (Ret.) Bernard “Bernie” W. Rogers, on October, 27, 2008. General Rogers was the longest serving SACEUR holding the appointment from 1979 to 1987 when he retired from active duty with the US Army.

October

Iraqi Joint Staff College Graduation

27 Oct - BAGHDAD, October 7. The Chief of the Iraqi Joint Forces and Commanding General NATO Training Mission – Iraq today presided over the graduation of 64 officers from the third Junior Staff Course at the Iraqi Joint Staff College in Ar Rustamiyah, Baghdad.

NATO Military Committee visits NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen

27 Oct - The Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola and Committee Representatives from all 26 NATO nations visited the E-3A Component at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany on 13 October. The visit provided the Chairman and the Committee Representatives with an up-close look at NATO AWACS flying operations and updated information about a variety of issues that impact the personnel and mission of the NATO Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF).

Canadian Mounties share skills with Afghan Police

27 Oct - KABUL, Afghanistan - The security of Afghanistan is dependant on an effective police force. The police spend more time with people in their communities, and are more familiar with the region than other national security forces.

NATO Naval Task Group en route to escort duties off Somali coast

24 Oct - Mons, Belgium — Seven ships, from six NATO navies, transit the Suez Canal today, on their way to conduct both anti-piracy duties and visit NATO partner nations in the Gulf region.

SACEUR’s address to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

20 Oct - “NATO’s role and credibility as a security provider in the post-Cold War era will be judged by how we respond to emerging crises, and if committed, how well we perform in our operations. And as NATO’s operational commander, I can say that we are indeed performing admirably in our operations, but that we face numerous challenges – external challenges as a function of our opposition and the situations in which we are engaged, and internal challenges as a result of our policies and processes,” said General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, during a speech to The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies on the 20th of October. His speech was primarily focused on NATO’s role as security provider, the challenges NATO are facing and the operation in Afghanistan.

Standing NATO Maritime Group transits Suez Canal en-route to anti-piracy duties

15 Oct - Mons, Belgium — Seven ships, from six NATO navies, transit the Suez Canal today, on their way to conduct both anti-piracy duties and visit NATO partner nations in the Gulf region.

Statement by General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, on ISAF Counter Narcotics Mandate Expansion

10 Oct - BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - "At the request of the Afghan government, I am grateful the North Atlantic Council has given me the authority to expand the International Security and Assistance Force's (ISAF) role in counter narcotic operations. We now have the ability to move forward in an area that affects the security and stability of Afghanistan. It will allow us to reduce the funding and income to the insurgents -- which will enhance the force protection of all ISAF and Afghan National Security Force personnel."

NATO AWACS visit Czech Republic to display aircraft and demonstrate capabilities

08 Oct - Aircraft and personnel from NATO’s Airborne Early Warning and Control Programme (NAEW&C) made visits to Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic from 17 to 20 September to give top political leaders and the public an opportunity to get an up close look the E-3A AWACS aircraft and learn about the capabilities that the NATO AWACS fleet provides to the Alliance. The visit was part of ongoing negotiations between NAEW&C Programme officials and the Czech government regarding Czech membership to the NATO AWACS programme in 2010.

SACEUR address at the Strategic Security and Defence Agenda Roundtable

08 Oct - “Today we ask if Afghanistan is NATO’s last frontier. Many pundits tie success in Afghanistan to NATO’s future, arguing that failure would be the undoing of the Alliance. Undoubtedly, success in Afghanistan is linked to the role the alliance will have in the future, but truth be told, this conflict is not uniquely NATO’s to win or lose. Rather it is for the government of Afghanistan’s and the international community’s, collectively, to win or lose. NATO’s role, while challenging, is narrowed to providing the safe and secure environment that will enable the conditions for good governance and reconstruction and development,” said General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, during a speech to the Strategic Security and Defence Agenda Roundtable on the 6th of October. His speech was focused on NATO and its role in Afghanistan.

The Chairman of the Military Committee visits SHAPE

08 Oct - Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, The Chairman of the Military Committee, paid a short visit to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) on the 7th of October.

NATO is committed to success

03 Oct - “NATO has demonstrated a remarkable capability to adjust to the rapid changes confronting European, North American, and global security since the end of the Cold War. The Alliance has been confronted with instability, humanitarian crises, regional conflict, and terrorism on a multi-national scale. This is the reality of the 21st Century and NATO has responded with capabilities at hand and has developed new capabilities, new policies, and new partnerships to meet these challenges” said General Karl-Heinz Lather, Chief of Staff of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, in an Exclusive Interview, conducted by Dieter Farwick, World Security Network Foundation.

September

NATO launches exercise Cooperative Longbow / Cooperative Lancer in Armenia

25 Sep - Mons Belgium – On Friday 26 Sep the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will launch exercise Cooperative Longbow/ Cooperative Lancer 08. The exercise is being staged in Armenia until 20 October under the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI).

Supreme Allied Commander Europe Visits Afghanistan and Urges Greater Counter Narcotic Role

24 Sep - Kabul, Afghanistan—General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, wrapped up a three-day trip here today.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania visits SHAPE

23 Sep - His Excellency Mr. Gediminas Kirklas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania visited the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) near Mons, Belgium September 17, 2008.

DSACEUR visit to NATO Training Mission – Iraq

12 Sep - BAGHDAD, September 12th, 2008 General Sir John McColl (UK Army), Deputy Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Europe (DSACEUR) paid his first visit to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) yesterday.

424 Iraqi Police Officers graduated the Carabinieri Training

11 Sep - BAGHDAD, 31.august, 2008. The 5th course of Iraqi National Police trained by Italian Carabinieri graduated in Camp Dublin, Baghdad on 28th of August this year.

NATO ships complete their visit to the Black Sea

10 Sep - The Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG 1) successfully completed its planned visit and is leaving the Black Sea today in accordance with the Montreux Convention which limits Black Sea naval deployments to twenty-one days for non-Black Sea navies. SNMG 1 will operate in the Mediterranean following its departure from the Black Sea.

SACEUR Visits Oceania and Pacific Countries Contributing to ISAF

01 Sep - U.S. Army General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, just completed visits to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

August

Change of Command KFOR

29 Aug - PRISTINA, Film City. On 29 August 2008, 1100 hours the Commander of Allied Joint Force Command in Naples (COMJFCNP), Admiral Mark FITZGERALD, presided over the Commander of KFOR (COMKFOR) change of command ceremony, where Lieutenant General Xavier BOUT de MARNHAC has relinquished command to Lieutenant General Giuseppe Emilio GAY.

NATO ships to pay routine visit to Romania and Bulgaria

21 Aug - The Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), a group of NATO warships, entered the Black Sea today to conduct routine port visits and exercises with NATO member nations bordering the Black Sea.

Change of Command for Joint Command Lisbon

20 Aug - OEIRAS, Portugal Aug. 14 -- Vice Admiral Bruce W. Clingan assumed command of Joint Command Lisbon during a ceremony at Reduto Freire Gomez in Oeiras. He took over from Vice Admiral James. A. Winnefeld Jr.

ISAF provides aide to refugee camp

17 Aug - KABUL, Afghanistan - More than 70 ISAF soldiers from 14 nations provided aide to a local refugee camp here Aug. 15 as an ongoing effort to make a difference in the quality of life of citizens in the local community.

Anaba Is Named Panjshir’s First 'peaceful District'

16 Aug - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — Government and military leaders, international representatives, and villagers packed into the common area of the new Anaba District Center in Panjshir province, Afghanistan, Aug. 11, 2008, to celebrate the naming of their District as ‘peaceful.’

July

SACEUR, General John Craddock, Address to the OSCE Annual Security Review Conference

18 Jul - Vienna, July 2, 2008 - “The OSCE – 56 nations from 3 continents – has been, and will continue to be, an excellent forum for international dialogue and partnership – a dialogue and partnership that translates to success on the ground.

NATO Training Mission-Iraq Academy graduation ceremony

18 Jul - AR RUSTAMIYAH, JULY 14, 2008 – More than 230 cadets graduated from the Basic Officer Commissioning Course at the Iraqi Military Academy at Ar Rustamiyah (IMAR) during a special ceremony July 14.

ISAF team provides aid in Yosuf Khel

17 Jul - KABUL, Afghanistan - ISAF’s Polish Battle Group delivered more than 800 kilograms of supplies and aid to the people of Yosuf Khel district in Paktika province on 14 July.

Forward operating base “HERO” Gets Afghan Seal of Approval

10 Jul - KABUL, Afghanistan - The first Afghan National Army (ANA) designed, built, manned and patrolled Forward Operating Base (FOB) has received a seal of approval from the local Afghan community.

Change of Command for 1st German-Netherlands Corps.

10 Jul - Münster, July 4 2008. German Lt. Gen. Volker Wieker assumed command from Dutch Lt. Gen. Tony van Diepenbrugge during a change of command ceremony, July 2, at Nordkirchen Castle, Germany. Mr. Eimert van Middelkoop and Dr. Franz Josef Jung, the defence ministers of the Netherlands and Germany attended the ceremony.

Change of Command for NATO Training Mission and Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq

10 Jul - BAGHDAD, July 3, 2008. American Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick assumed command of the Multi-National Security Transition Command (MNSTC-I) and the NATO Training Mission (NTM-I) in Iraq on 3 July, replacing American Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik. Helmick was the Commanding General U.S. Army Southern European Task Force prior to his new assignment.

Agreement begins transition of Kabul airport to Afghanistan control

1 Jul - KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan and ISAF took the first steps June 30 to transition air traffic control at Kabul International Airport to the country’s government.

June

NATO AWACS demonstrates worldwide deployability

19 Jun - On 2 June, one E-3A and one TCA with more than 80 Component members took off from the MOB, heading for the other side of the world and marking another major milestone in Component history. After months of comprehensive preparations, the first-ever deployment to Australia became a reality when NATO AWACS departed for Exercise Pitch Black, which takes place in Darwin from 2 to 27 June.

Commander gave an appreciation of the operations in Arghandab district and the life in Kandahar City

19 Jun - KABUL, Afghanistan – Around 10:30 pm yesterday, Task Force Kandahar Deputy Commander, Col Jamie Cade, spoke to the media regarding current operations in Arghandab district.

NATO's Top Military Operational Commander Sees Progress in Afghanistan

18 Jun - KABUL, Afghanistan - General John Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe wrapped up a three day trip here today.

SHAPE Releases Economic Impact Statement

18 Jun - The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, or SHAPE, today released its first Economic Impact Statement showing the impact of the military installation in the Wallonie region of Belgium.

E-3A Component demonstrates AWACS world-wide deployability by first-ever deployment to Australia

13 Jun - The E-3A Component has deployed one E-3A, one Trainer Cargo Aircraft (TCA) and more than 80 crewmembers from 14 nations to Darwin, Australia for Exercise Pitch Black. The exercise, from 2 to 27 June, is a Royal Australian Air Force led exercise with international participation that includes 3,000 participants and more than 60 aircraft from Australia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, France and the E-3A Component. This marks the first time E-3A Component aircraft have flown to Australia and the first time that NATO AWACS has participated in an Australian exercise. For this, E-3A aircraft will be integrated into the Australian Defence Forces command and control structure to conduct air surveillance and battle management operations.

“Little People of Kosovo” in KFOR

09 Jun - PRISTINA, Kosovo. 1st June 2008 – COMKFOR, Lieutenant General Xavier de Marnhac, hosted at HQ KFOR a multiethnic group of Children Ambassadors, which included some disabled children from the NGO Little People of Kosovo. From Film City, they delivered a letter for the children all over the world, with the message that we are all born free and equal.

General McKiernan assumes command of ISAF

03 Jun - General McKiernan assumed Command of ISAF from US General Dan McNeill during a handover ceremony held on 3 June 2008 in Kabul. The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General John Craddock and the Commander of the Joint Forces Command (JFC) Brunssum, General Egon Ramms, attended the event.

Austrian General assumes command of Multinational Task Force South for the first time.

04 Jun - On May 29, Austrian Brigadier General Robert Prader assumed command of Multinational Task Force South (MNTF S) in Prizren, Kosovo. It’s the first time an Austrian General Officer has commanded one of the brigade-sized task forces in KFOR. Prader, who commands 4000 soldiers from five different nations, replaced Brigadier General Tarcin Ugor.

May

Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe address to the Netherlands Atlantic Association

20 May - “I am pleased to be here in the Netherlands - a nation that is inextricably linked with justice. You are uniquely capable of deducing the justness and the gravity of our mission in Afghanistan.” said General Sir John McColl, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, during a speech to the Netherlands Atlantic Association on 19 May 2008. He spoke about International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan, the current operations as well as a perspective on the evolving relationship between NATO and the EU.

UKRAINIAN FRIGATE JOINS ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR

12 May - Naples, Italy - 12 May 2008. From 12 May to 10 August 2008 the Ukrainian frigate (Krivak III) Hetman Sagaidachniy will contribute to Operation Active Endeavour (OAE), the NATO maritime contribution to the fight against terrorism.

SACEUR address to Heritage Foundation

19 May - “NATO is not failing, I assure you. We are succeeding, and we will continue to succeed, but we in the international community can and must do more.” said General Craddock, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, during a speech to the Heritage Foundation on 8 May 2008. He spoke about NATO’s military operation in Afghanistan. He also touched upon his own area of responsibility for U.S. European Command.

ISAF soldiers teach Afghans construction skills