MAGAZINE
SPRING 2021
COMBAT READINESS EVALUATION OF THE FIRST WARFIGHTING HEADQUARTERS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC
By Romanian ARMY Major George-Adrian LESAN , SO LANDCOM G7 EVAL & ARRC CREVAL OPR
Throughout 2020 , Allied Land Command ( LANDCOM ), with support from NATO Rapid Deployable Corp Spain ( NRDC-ESP ) conducted a Combat Readiness Evaluation ( CREVAL ) of Allied Rapid Reaction Corps ( ARRC ), certifying the UK-based Corps headquarters during Exercise LOYAL LEDA 2020 ( LOLE20 ) at Full Operating Capability ( FOC ) as NATO ’ s first designated warfighting headquarters since the Cold War .
First completed CREVAL under the ‘ New Approach ’ ARRC ’ s CREVAL was the first evaluation fully conducted based on the recently improved NATO evaluation system for Land Forces , which is key to the readiness of the Alliance . The new CREVAL became a comprehensive and structured process that focuses on assessing performance , procedures , and capabilities against defined NATO standards , as well as readiness and interoperability requirements .
The CREVAL system was redesigned to provide more assurance to Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) that declared forces and capabilities are ready and prepared to meet current and contingent NATO operational priorities in accordance with NATO standards . It also serves to better support land forces headquarters and units in their preparation for planning and execution of operations and their certification process . The combat readiness evaluation system uses the talents and expertise of LANDCOM to enhance the evaluated headquarters capabilities through engaged partnerships . CREVAL aims to evaluate the readiness and capabilities of land forces to perform their assigned missions , ensuring they are adhering to NATO standards , and to identify potential deficiencies that limit the capability to meet the requirements .
CREVAL is key to ensuring high-readiness HQs and forces are available for the full range of Alliance missions . Whilst the evaluation process aims to verify combat readiness of land forces declared to NATO with their role , nature , or readiness category , its outcomes also provide solid feedback and recommendations to improve forces , further supporting the certification process .
The process Evaluating the combat readiness of ARRC as the first Warfighting Corps Headquarters took roughly 12 months , considering the headquarters comprehensive preparations initiated in early 2019 . Most of the evaluation phases were conducted during the COVID-19 global virus pandemic , which triggered all CREVAL and exercise stakeholders to search for creative ideas and feasible options to achieve the desired goals despite unprecedented restrictions and limitations . COVID-19 represented a catalyst for exploring a remote and distributed approach that proved to mitigate risk and successfully enable mission completion . All teams involved in Exercise LOYAL LEDA 2020 ( LOLE20 ) and the ARRC CREVAL worked together to identify the best options to carry out the mission , despite the many challenges imposed by emerging restrictions and limitations .
The collective effort and mission mindset demonstrated that NATO continues to train and build readiness even under COVID conditions . LANDCOM successfully proved its critical work continues in support of NATO missions . Proactive coordination efforts between all NATO HQs involved in LOLE20 and mutual support were key to a successful CREVAL and to achieving the desired outcomes during the emerging global pandemic . Moreover , this was the first CREVAL ever conducted mostly
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