A pilot course of the Crisis Management after CBRN Incident was held at the Joint CBRN Defence Centre of Excellence (JCBNR Defence COE) from 11 to 15 November 2013. The course was attended by 10 students from 7 countries (CZE, GBR, HUN, ITA, POL, PRT and SVN). The course was run in the presence of two representatives from EU and NATO (from EU Military Staff Concepts & Capabilities Directorate European External Action Service and from the Nuclear Policy Directorate/Weapons of Mass Destruction Non-Proliferation Centre NATO HQ).

The Course was developed to provide highly sophisticated knowledge related to EU, NATO Crisis Management concept, organization, systems and procedures. Cooperation and Partnership initiatives in Crisis Management to EU, NATO and Partner Nation officers and their civilian equivalents were discussed as well.

The political and military dimensions of Crisis Management (CM) after CBRN Incident, the interaction and constraints between international organizations (IAEA, OPCW. OSCE) and the conceptual framework of CM, principal NATO and EU CM bodies, systems and procedures, and explanation of the NATO and EU CM process were clarified in the lectures during the course.

According to a survey done by the end of the course participants have considered the course as very successful and highly valuable for their future appointment and all of them have recommended to continue the organization of the course. Mainly the quality of lectures, fully professional attitude of whole real life support and preparedness of the JCBRN Defence COE as itself was appreciated by all of them. All students’ comments related to content of this course will be evaluated and considered to improve course quality and for future NATO certification.

The Crisis Management after CBRN Incident course was a unique opportunity for the JCBRN Defence COE to declare its CBRN defence expertise capabilities. CM is a topic frequently discussed within whole NATO at the present time.

Author: WO Marek Nemec

Photo: Mrs. Hana Jurcova