| Discussion Issue 2: Pre-Deployment Planning for Training
Requirement:
From a national perspective what changes should be made to your military training and education plans, policies and procedures in order to ensure that national forces are capable of arriving in theatre prepared as effectively and efficiently as possible to meet the challenges of current and future peace support operations?
Summary of Group Findings:
1. What are the key issues, and
2. How will each be addressed in the short term and long term? How will each of them be addressed by training and education, and at the strategic (S), operational (O) and tactical levels (T)?
Key Issue |
Short Term
( < 3 months) |
Long Term
( > 3 months) |
More complex security environment |
1. Rapid lessons learnt feedback loop: Pre-deployment assessment in theater, Deploy trainers/observers in theater to bring back lessons learnt, Revalidation of training at home (O, T) |
1. Training for flexible dynamic operations: High Level education e.g., Strategic Studies Inst., Staff Colleges, etc (S, O) |
More interaction with civilians/non military organizations |
1. Basic media awareness training for soldiers (O, T)
2. Basic training on cultural values/norms/taboos (O, T) |
1. Formal education and training for commanders/officers (S, O))
2. Include civilian org in military exercises (S, O)
3. Combined military/civilian seminars (S, O) |
Increasing need to share information |
1. Information sharing meetings (S, O, T)
2. Information gained in pre-deployment packages (S, O, T)
3. Establish intelligence/information network - mission specific (S, O, T) |
1. Interagency relationship building (S, O)
2. OCHA as a resource for information (S, O)
3. Continuing sharing of information with strategic partners
(S, O) |
Command and Control relationships less clear |
Establish clear lines of responsibility (S, O) |
Continue to identify and establish working solutions (S, O) |
Coordination and cooperation with non-military actors |
Develop a training awareness module which educates people on who NGOs/UN Agencies/IOs are and how they work (S, O) |
Develop a training awareness module which educates people on who NGOs/UN Agencies/IOs are and how they work (S, O) |
3. What are specific training and education considerations for commanders?
- Leadership in complex emergencies
- Media Training and Relations
- Public information
- Awareness of all usual and potential players in the area of operations and how they work, their policies and procedures (UN, NGO, IO, etc.)
- Instruction at higher learning institutions outside of the military environment
- Negotiation and mediation skills
- Military diplomacy, with a focus on maintaining the coalition
- Exposure to host country’s history, languages, cultures and values
- Public security situation and Civilian Police issues
- National Policy, including guidelines on UN employment
- UN organization/background/chapters /doctrine/policies/procedures, including existing mandates, SOFA, ROE, SOMA, MOUs, LOAC, existing statutes, Geneva Conventions, Oslo Guidelines, Humanitarian Law
- Understanding of developments in the UN PSO
- LOAC, Human Rights Law, Geneva Conventions, Oslo Guidelines
- Civil-Military coordination mechanisms
- Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DR&R)
- Gender issues
- Coordination mechanisms
4. Recommendations for integrating civilian peacekeeping partners input into the military training and education process (across all groups):
- Identify key partners, with a criterion of common interest or cause
- Identify the designated lead civilian agency, if one exists (usually UNOCHA)
- Identify mutually beneficial training opportunities
- Solicit input from civilian partners who are already in the field
- Learn civilian partners’ procedures
- Incorporate civilian partners into training program, doctrine development and planning, to include government representatives (e.g. Legal, finance, foreign affairs), UN Military Civil Defence Unit (MCDU) and the ICRC
- Share information
- Improve understanding of the UN agencies, seeking assistance from UNOCHA
Additional Observations
A. Positive aspects of current training:
- Existing training
- Multinational and combined exercises
- Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT has U.S. lead, with transit to a UN Peacekeeping force)
- Civilian Police supported by UNSAT (where a UN Selection Assistance Team administers tests for acceptance of civilian police to a mission)
- In-theater training system is available in every UN mission
- Independent peace support operations’ training centers and programs
- Joint, bilateral and multilateral training
- Knowledge hub available via the internet
- Existing educational programs
B. Inadequacies of current training:
- Training system
- Non-availability of common training package
- Subject matter experts are specific to mission training
- No standardized training methodology
- No central hub for information sharing
- National policies do not necessarily recognize peace support operations
- Cost
- Military, civilian police and NGO/IO training might not be cohesive
- Inadequate training and commitment at the strategic level
C. Mission Specific Training Recommendations:
- Pre-Deployment Phase
- Understand the mandate/SOFA/ROE
- Comprehend mission requirements, tasks and the desired end state
- Learn details on the composition of mission
- Acquire background information
- Conduct operational field training
- Deployment Phase
- Conduct area of operations familiarization and induction programs
- Set up mission training cell
- Conduct joint operations and tasks
- Transition Phase
- Conduct a mid-course evaluation and After Action Review
- Reassess training in consonance with transition and exit strategies
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