Page 44 - Cormorant 2019

PAGE 42
CJEX UK
Wg Cdr Chris Wright
EARLY MAY SAW THE culmination of the core module of Operational Level Planning with the Combined Joint European Exercise.
Involving students from the military academies of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, the exercise aims to not only test the students’
planning and organization skills, but also provides an opportunity for UK students to experience the NATO planning process, which differs subtly from UK doctrine.
Everyone knows the key to successful operational- level planning is a team that is resilient and firm to field military effects, but with a softer, more sensitive core to accommodate the humanitarian concerns of
“
crises. The team could therefore be likened to a twice or thrice-cooked, golden and delicious British chip. Members of the UK arm of CJEX could therefore have been slightly concerned that the floppy, tepid chunks of starch served at the ice-breaker event
may have been an indicator of difficult times ahead. Fortunately, it appeared that the food and warm beer failed to dampen the spirits of the visiting participants and, following a weekend sampling the delights of Oxford (and all of Cdre Ackland’s ‘Cultural Shopping List’ clearly...), planning started in earnest.
The task was set in the fictional region of Altea, beset by racial, political and economic unrest, exacerbated by shortages in basic resources. The multi-faceted challenge required the planning groups to bond quickly to identify areas of expertise in order to generate comprehensive response options for the commander to approve or adjust as he or she saw
Everyone
knows the key to successful
operational-level planning is a team that is resilient and firm to field military effects... ◆◆◆
fit. The role of operational commander was played by a team of vastly experienced military officers of at least 2* rank, who provided not only realistic input in the briefing sessions in the form of difficult questions and concerns, but also acted as mentors, imparting invaluable guidance to the teams. They were accompanied by equally-experienced Stabilisation Advisors from the UK Foreign Office, who broadened the teams’ thinking to consider the wider implications of military intervention and, crucially, ensuring that the