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The aim of Move 3 was to determine the training requirements at the operational and tactical levels required to prepare a multinational force to conduct a UN Peace Operation. Each syndicate was instructed to act as an integrated civil-military planning team of the UNMID Staff. Each working group developed a training plan appropriate for the force as a whole. This plan then addressed the unit and individual training requirements necessary to "baseline" the overall-force training program. With a deployment beginning in two months, participants were instructed to use the mission plan developed in Move 1 to determining training requirements. They were also asked to make general recommendations to enhance peacekeeping capacity in the South Asia Region on the following topics:
FINDINGS 3 ASSUMPTIONS Some assumptions made for the game play were that key military, political, and civilian players were identified and are available for training. That the lead nation has been identified, that participating nations are willing to support interoperability training, that all units declared for the UNMID are in a state of high readiness and that they have completed training up to the battalion level, that the 2-month timeline does not include deployment, that the units are not limited by logistical constraints, and that combined units are worked up together. TRAINING OBJECTIVES Training objectives are that the training be mission oriented, configured for the task, multinational and multifunctional, and that there is training oriented to civilians and civilian police. The command and control structure must be exercised and compatible for multinational peace support operations. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS Required skills for mission success will be oriented to the environment, such that they cover the weather, culture, history, economic/labor situation, language, local laws and customs, religion and indigenous health issues. Force protection skills would include military and criminal threats, human rights, the law of armed conflict, and mine threats, among others. Key specialized skills are public relations, law, human rights, civil affairs, etc. Finally, the need for conflict management skills should be assessed. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS There was some discussion relative to performance standards: setting and measuring them. The SRSG would provide overall guidance and input into common training standards, with the Force Commander establishing military performance standards in consultation with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, utilizing the UNÕs Lessons Identified database. The Civilian Police Commissioner would set standards for police training in conjunction with a UNDPKO training team assessment and would include negotiation and mediation, host country laws, international law, and meet the driver training requirements established by the UN. Elements to be included in these standards would be derived from the orders and mission analysis and mission tasks, such as providing election security. VALIDATING STANDARDS The suggestion was made that a validation system could be established through regional training centers. Also, it was suggested that the UNDPKO could send a team to validate the standards of troop contributing countries that were participating prior to deployments. This begs the question as to how these standards may be enforced. The suggestion was made that a UN assessment team would validate based on a previously agreed-to criteria, not to be confused with any one particular countryÕs standards. Additional measures were the detailed involvement and assessment by commanders, testing and screening procedures, minimum standards for selection of candidates, and identifying unit capabilities to aid in the selection process. Additional support for the validation of standards included maintaining records and conducting command post exercises and field training exercises. UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL TRAINING The implications for unit and individual training associated with overall force training requirements are; early indicators in the individualÕs career and their aptitude, early assessment of a unit/individualÕs capabilities, and the need for good communication skills and high situational awareness. Requirements for individual and unit training can best be met through a variety of ways, including training as a multinational unit, through simulation and online distance learning. A tailored, yet routine, approach should be done in country as part of normal activities. Pre-deployment training is accomplished through an intensive training cycle to a UN agreed standard, following a competency-based assessment. Individual training needs may also be assesses and validated through a UN sponsored or assisted "training center." INTEGRATED TRAINING Integrated training between the military, civilian police forces and civilian organizations is a necessity. Based on discussions, it was clear that the role of the civilian police in peace support operations was misunderstood. This training may be best accomplished through joint seminars, workshops, through UN, regional or national peacekeeping training centers. Once deployed, an integrated briefing should be conducted for the benefit of all components. Outside of a specific mission, military staffs should integrate civilians and civil police as "players" in training events. Training exercises should note key police and civil capabilities such as local knowledge and awareness, links to local police and political forces, etc. TIMING AND TRAINING SEQUENCE The sequence for training would graduate from the general to the specific: basic military skills, basic peacekeeping skills, mission-specific training, "trade" training for civilians and civilian police, situational training exercises, and finally command post and field training exercises. It was recognized that some troop contributing countries has to deploy conscripts and regular forces. As a general rule, it was pointed out, a force trains for war, not for peacekeeping operations. In peacekeeping operations they then must "step down" to Chapter VI or VII deployment. Consequently, required training needs to occur during the pre-deployment phase (unit, HQ staff, individual, interoperability, and on mission context), after arrival in theater (combined and task specific, acclimatization and local situation), and as part of a continuous effort on the job (skill sustainment, turnover). BARRIERS TO TRAINING AND OVERCOMING THEM Potential barriers to effective training include: troops are trained for national tasks, language differences, attitudes not conducive to peace support operations, budget constraints, availability of specific equipment used in the mission area, compatibility issues, limited expertise, limited basic infrastructure, insufficient time, inadequate resources, and the uncertainty for UN mission deployment. Some of these challenges might be lessened or overcome by UN sponsored and certified regional training centers and regional military and civilian police stand-by forces. Cost sharing may be considered on a proportional basis. Distance may be overcome by using distributive learning tools and by focusing on training-of-trainers and key commands and staff. Common SOP development would lessen the effects of different training based on national policies. It may help to establish a research and development center at the regional level, and in general, increase inter-regional cooperation. Good mission analysis that allows for focus on the essentials would help overcome time challenges. To increase compatibility, one nation may provide the communication infrastructure, or try to gain common logistics requirements. REGIONAL TRAINING CENTERS Regional training centers would become a key source for training, validation, assessment, doctrine, standards, multi-national integration, regional cooperation, joint seminars, joint field training exercises, training facilities, training teams, logistics support, logistic support and information sharing. Perhaps a center devoted to training-of-trainers can be considered. Distributed simulation and training architecture might be considered as a cost-effective option. IF THE DEPLOYMENT WERE 12 MONTHS AWAYÉ To better prepare for the UNMID, it would be important to begin: the process of developing links between the SRSG, the military, civilian and police commissioner staffs; selection of personnel for peacekeeping operations; continuous and elaborate training as per the syllabi for UNDPKO; integration of the HQ and units (training them together at the lowest level and culminating in a single, comprehensive training event); conducting reconnaissance into Darlan for key commandeers and staff; allocating sectors and tasks, developing situational awareness with HQs; consider all levels of training to include personal, unit and force, and allocate time for welfare considerations. ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES The major challenges are sufficient political will, funding, staffing, multinational and interagency integration and effectiveness, regional politics and the lack of standardized training. There exists the opportunity to develop in the time provided regional training center or centers, standing combined/multinational staffs, common SOPs, doctrine for peacekeeping, and to share funding and personnel costs. |
