The Allied Land Command
Chief of Staff Message
Major General Erhan Uzun
Chief of Staff
The quality of any team is only as good as the people in it . As I look back over the 6 months since my arrival , I reflect mostly on the professionalism , cooperation and many accomplishments of our LANDCOM Team . During this short period , I have met many staff members including most of our key players . This has allowed me to understand the environment , the Headquarters and LAND- COM ’ s mission . Prior to my arrival , LT GEN Williams had already set out a crystal clear vision of a flexible and learning organization , whose personnel are empowered , understand and deliver mission command . We are both committed to investing in our personnel and the development of individuals and teams will be a high priority .
As we enter 2017 , the global security environment is unstable and complex . The conduct of war today and for the foreseeable future is substantially different than it was fifty or even ten years ago which has required a change in how NATO conceptualises operations going forward . The Alliance is continually challenged by transnational and multi-dimensional threats creating long-term consequences for peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region and across the globe .
The Alliance must therefore be able to address the full spectrum of current and future challenges and threats from any direction , simultaneously . LANDCOM has a prominent role in developing land forces doctrine and procedures , incorporating lessons learned and ensuring land competency is maintained and developed . This is LANDCOM ’ s number one priority for our “ LAND ADVOCACY ” mission .
Furthermore we should not expect to be uncontested in any domain , and it is likely that we will be challenged in all areas . Hence the requirement for demanding and realistic exercises , tailored to provide a deterrent effect and the opportunity
to improve and validate the Alliance ’ s interoperability , operational concepts and planning , command and control arrangements , and decision-making responsiveness . LANDCOM provides land expertise to the NATO Command Structure including support to NATO initiatives , operational commitment , training and exercise .
Training is an unending path and LANDCOM also has to train herself . We will continue this year via Exercise Trident Javelin 2017 ( TRJN17 ). This will be a three level exercise in a NATO Article 5 Operational setting , involving high intensity operations with both the NATO Command Structure and NATO Force Structure in a Major Joint Operation (+). TRJN17 will also serve as a venue to evaluate JFCBS as a JTF HQ , LANDCOM as a Land Component Command ( LCC ) for multicorps operations , and MARCOM in the role of and Maritime Component Command ( MCC ).
The strategic overview shows a world of unpredictability and insecurity . In such a world LANDCOM must be ready and able to respond rapidly across a full spectrum of threats with an emphasis on deterring and preventing conflict as part of an Alliance . We will achieve this through three persistent lines of operations ; NATO Land Forces Operational Capabilities and Readiness , LANDCOM HQ ’ s Capabilities and Readiness , and last but not least , Land Advocacy
I am happy and proud of to be a member of LAND- COM Team .
I am ending my words with Henry Ford ’ s quato “ Coming together is a beginning . Keeping together is progress . Working together is success .”
I wish you a continued success in your career , peace in your heart , unending smile in your face , strong health , happiness at home and HQ ,