10 Years of Transformation: A Solid Foundation for the Future

French Air Force General Jean-Paul Palomros takes a moment to reflect on his first six months and discuss Allied Command Transformations tenth anniversary, Connected Forces Initiative and the Transatlantic Link.
By Ms. Robin Michelle Barnett, NATO Allied Command Operations, Civil-Military Fusion Centre

Q Your first year as Supreme Allied Commander

Transformation (SACT) is also the 10th anniversary of Allied Command Transformation (ACT). What does this achievement mean for NATO, for ACT, and for you? A This is a wonderful question. Every day I pay tribute to my predecessors and certainly to the brilliant leaders who understood that someday NATO would need a command for transformation. There was a time when the idea of transformation was not understood; however, today more than ever it is essential. We must continue to wield the experience of military and civilian partners and concentrate on transforming the Alliance to keep its military relevance. I truly believe that ACT is a success. Why is it a success? ACT is a living command, it is not static. It adapts itself to the environment, the need, the requirements and the vision. Transformation is a global process that concentrates on the longterm vision and also supports current operations like we did with CIED1 for Afghanistan. Further, since 2009, ACT has taken another step forward as it is now a single command with a single hat led by a European French General. As far as I am concerned, being here for over six months, I am very proud of this unique command and the men and women dedicated to ACTs missions. Thanks to them, I enjoy myself every day working on behalf of NATO and ACT. What could be considered as an achievement? First and foremost, the demonstration that transformation has a crucial role to play in an organisation such as NATO. This was not always a given in NATOs history. Looking back, we can see an evolution over time from the Cold War, to the adaptation in post-Cold War, to the Balkans and other crises. This was indispensable, but NATO needed to be set up for the enduring transformation that requires our 21st Century ever evolving environment. There are many precise achievements we can be proud of. For example, we are releasing a new concept for training which is very promising for the future. In the past, ACT was instrumental in preparing the Chicago defence package; we have produced an important phase in the NATOs Defence Planning Process; and we continue our work on cyber and emerging threats.

However, ACT cannot, must not, rest on its laurels. We have to stay focused and move forward, keeping in mind that we are responsible to shape the way for future NATO military operations and to make our best to provide NATO forces with the most suitable capabilities.

Q In a recent interview you stated transformation

is permanent. Your description is clear that there is a commitment to the evolution of creativity and thought moving forward. What are your thoughts? A Transformation is not a goal by itself. I would say that it is more than a process; it is a mindset. It is more about understanding the way we can influence, at all levels, the environment. This is extremely ambitious. Facing fiscal constraints, anyone can say that there are not enough resources, financial resources, human resources, to fulfill the tasks. That is precisely why we must prepare the environment to find solutions and avoid what I call the blockages. We must enable; we must continue to facilitate the future. I see four core key values which underlie all ACT processes: quality, transparency, accountability, and responsibility. Quality is the key value because it is unworthy to produce for the sake of producing. The process needs time and must include teamwork and brainstorming and the output must be of the highest qual-

ity. Everything will rely on what we produce at the end of the day. We must produce both the highest quality and the most affordable solutions. Transparency is the second value. We cannot work alone. This is why we must interact in real-time with the nations, stakeholders, NATO Headquarters, or external partners (academia, NGOs2, think tanks) as they have a vision. We can then build on that vision, connect the people, connect the intellect and try to make the best assessment for the future. Transparency leads to credibility. If we are transparent enough then the nations understand what we do, why we do it and how we use their resources. Third is accountability. We must be accountable for what we do. The nations resource us, therefore, we have to identify affordable solutions and prove that we use our budget as best as possible. We must hold ourselves accountable in finance but also on human resources. The nations provide enormous human investment in terms of people and expertise. Responsibility is the fourth core value. As commander of ACT, I must assume my responsibility and every member of ACT must do the same. Each day we work for the future and future generations. Let us be confident in our work ethic that we can pass projects and vision to the future in the most responsible manner. It is our responsibility and commitment to provide the nations with the highest quality projects.

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I am particularly keen on responsibility at the working level to empower the people. Empowerment enables creativity; this is what I call the magic circle.

Q Do you consider the NATO Response Force

(NRF) the heart of CFI? A Many nations put a lot of effort into reaching and then keeping those operational standards to be certified for the NRF. Established ten years ago to improve readiness, the NRF remains a catalyst for transformation and a transformational tool for interoperability. It is an effective, relevant and tangible tool, and perhaps, we should have given it more visibility. The NRF would also be the glue of interoperability between the US and European forces. We do not need to reinvent the tool but to bolster it, to transform it.

Q Why is the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI)

your number one priority? A It is my first priority because it is our most urgent need. We must do more than regenerate the force; we must prepare for the future and transform. The implementation of CFI is the transformational cornerstone of ACTs post-ISAF3 role within NATO. CFI works to maintain Alliance forces readiness, interoperability and military credibility, particularly in a post-Afghanistan era. This is achieved by creating a connected, efficient, effective, and affordable education and training system of the highest quality with the most experienced instructors. A new era is upon us and we must work to preserve a decade of expertise and likewise utilise collective knowledge in training, simulation and exercises. CFI interconnects the Alliance through collective activities for a common purpose. CFI guarantees our military sustains trained, deployable forces while advancing the transformational goals of the Alliance. CFI is to connect the forces at every stage to make sure that we can be best prepared. Looking back to past achievements in Afghanistan and Libya, we can be assured that this success was due not only to our good equipment, but mainly to demanding training and relevant exercises with challenging scenarios. This is our goal for CFI. It is why we are defining a new training concept and developing a comprehensive implementation plan. In 2015, we propose to execute one major exercise every year. The annual exercise will reflect trends; add different perspectives, including Article 5 and crisis management. Therefore, it is imperative that we optimise exercises as money is undoubtedly a constraint. Most importantly, we have to maintain interoperability and readiness of the forces. This is crucial, particularly at a time when operational commitment may be waning. We must take the knowledge and experience from the past ten years and use it to regenerate the force and plan for the future. Therefore, future exercises must include different perspectives, varying scenarios and diverse players culminating in a combined exercise using simulation. This interaction between simulation using new technology and human capital-integration is a major factor for CFI success. To succeed, we also have to maximize the expertise of NATO centres, NATO school, multinational COEs4, and more.

more than a buzz word if we are not careful. What is needed to keep E-learning relevant? It is more than technology; it is the expertise behind technology. We must utilise the best teachers and trainers. For example, an instructor leading a course on Afghanistan must have first-hand experiences within the Afghan environment; the experts must put their subjects in operational context. So again, human expertise on human behaviour must be part of the equation. Secondly, we must have quality references. We will aim to align our training with higher level standards such as the Bologna process. This process is a good framework for certification in terms of quality: quality of instruction and quality of teaching. We must strive for the best so that we may experience the best results.

Q The Transatlantic Link is another one of your

main priorities, while keeping a footprint in Europe. ACT was also responsible for establishing the first ACO footprint in the U.S., namely the NATO Allied Command Operations (ACO) Civil-Military Fusion Centre (CFC). How important is the Transatlantic Link to the future of the Alliance? A The driving force for peace and security within the Atlantic Alliance is transatlantic cooperation; it is the essence of the Alliance. The Transatlantic Link is the cornerstone of NATO and our solution to a secure future. This is my conviction, and I believe that ACT is core to keeping this link. The presence of a European general at the head of ACT is testament of the commitment to a transatlantic Alliance. This is a clear demonstration to the United States that NATO supports Alliance efforts towards increased military coherence and interoperability. The 28 NATO countries must find new ways to move forward together, to concentrate on essential capabilities, and to imagine affordable solutions. The defence budget gap between the U.S. and the other 27 NATO countries, among which 21 belong to the European Union, should not limit the ability to work together. It is, instead, an incentive to redefine a new sharing of tasks and responsibilities within the Alliance and to promote further multinational co-operation, which is the aim of the NATO Smart Defence initiative. It is through this that I see ACT perfectly postured to strengthen the Transatlantic Link for the greater good of the Alliances future. n
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Each day we work for the future and future generations. Let us be confident in our work ethic that we can pass projects and vision to the future in the most responsible manner.
Q Some of the most prestigious universities offer Elearning. Does ACT envision E-Learning as a way of the future? A This is a holistic process. We cannot ask the best from our men and women if we do not provide them with the best training and education. NATO is a preeminent provider of online education in the world. Presently, every staff member reporting to Afghanistan completes online courses according to their respective position. If applied to ACT or other commands, online training could save time and money and improve the effectiveness of the incoming and deploying staff members. E-learning is a wonderful tool but we must remain disciplined; it could be no

CIED: Countering Improvised Explosive Devices NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation ISAF: International Security Assistance Force COE: Centre of Excellence

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