MAGAZINE
FALL 2019
from the
COMMANDER
“ If you don ’ t like change , you ’ ll like irrelevance even less .”
General Eric Shinseki
Today ’ s security environment is marked by a return of great power competition , increasing complexity , growing uncertainty and a rapidly changing character of warfare . While land power remains central to deterrence and defence , it must also adapt to retain competitive advantage over potential adversaries . Within the NATO land domain , I am encouraged by the positive embrace of changes designed to ensure we remain fit for purpose and can act at the speed of relevance . Ultimately , it is about promoting a culture of readiness to compete , deter , and if necessary , fight and win .
Conference ( LC3 ) is “ Vigilant and Ready Land Forces for Deterrence and Defence .” During this semiannual conference , we will discuss our changing roles and responsibilities in fostering vigilance and readiness to strengthen deterrence ... not just in the land domain , but in an integrated manner across all domains … thereby manifesting decisive advantage .
In 1949 , Gen . Omar Bradley stated that “ peace is our goal but preparedness is the price we must pay ”. Those words continue to ring true today . In the spirit of preparedness , a new NATO Military Strategy was unveiled this past May and we are now focused on its implementation . For the land domain , this requires vigilance and preparedness in baseline activities and current operations ( BACO ). Or in other words , deterrence through realistic and rigorous demonstration of collective defence based on decisive combined arms , multi-domain operations . Maintaining strong linkage between the NATO Command Structure ( NCS ) and NATO Force Structure ( NFS ) to ensure coherency and cohesion , change management is fully underway to increase our warfighting capabilities , including the NATO Readiness Initiative ( NRI ) and Adapted NATO Response Force ( aNRF ); Joint , Domain , and Functional Command and Control ( C2 ) concepts of operation ; a Joint Fires and Targeting framework ; Theatre Enablement ; and a refined Training , Exercise , and Evaluation program that reflects realism . These initiatives along with ongoing standardisation , interoperability and modernisation efforts will ensure our continued success as an Alliance . another key advantage of the Alliance . However , an element marked by significant change over recent months . At LANDCOM , CWO Kevin Mathers replaced CWO Steve Rice as Command Senior Enlisted Leader and Maj . Gen . Metin Tokel replaced Maj . Gen . Erhan Uzun as Chief of Staff . At 1st German- Netherlands Corps , Lt . Gen . Alfons Mais replaced Lt . Gen . Michiel van der Laan . At the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps , Lt . Gen . Edward Smyth- Osbourne replaced Lt . Gen . Tim Radford . At Rapid Reaction Corps- France , Lt . Gen . Pierre Gillet replaced Lt . Gen . Laurent Kolodziej . At the EUROCORPS , Lt . Gen . Laurent Kolodziej replaced Lt . Gen . Jürgen Weigt . And at Multinational Division Southeast , Maj . Gen . J . J . Berdila replaced Maj . Gen . Daniel Petrescu . We thank the outgoing leaders for their exceptional leadership and teamwork and extend a warm welcome to the new leadership . Despite such significant change in names and faces , rest assured that the thread of continuity is commitment to readiness , excellence and teamwork .
Having recently celebrated NATO ’ s 70th anniversary as the strongest and most successful Alliance in the world , we can be rightfully proud of land power ’ s vital role in deterrence and collective defence . As we lead historic change , let us remember the wise words of SACEUR , who reminds that readiness means being responsive , being resilient , and being lethal .
# LandPower ! # StrongerTogether ! # WeAreNATO !
For the Soldier !
LC
Building and sustaining land power readiness remains our main effort . It is our primary contribution to deterrence . Accordingly , the theme for the 15 th Land Corps Commanders
Leadership remains the most decisive and dynamic element of combat power . Across the NATO land domain , we continue to be blessed with an abundance of strong leaders ...
J . T . THOMSON
LANDCOM Commander
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