THE IMJIN INTERVIEW
Brigadier General Victor Bados
In the latest of a series of interviews with senior officers of Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps , the imjin spoke with Deputy Chief of Staff Support , Brigadier General Victor Bados .
After one year at HQ ARRC and some exercises and operational activity , can you please explain to our readers what your impression is of this HQ , and your duties as DCOS Support ?
First of all , I would like to express my gratitude to the imjin for having selected me , among the extraordinary group of international officers that make up this HQ , to express my opinion and share my experiences with the readers of this publication after almost a year at the head of Support Division . Certainly , since my arrival at Innsworth I was aware of the tremendous challenge that it is to lead a large Division such as Support Division , due to the multinational character of the Branch as
well as the human and professional qualities of its members . Having spent some time participating in the multiple events within HQ ARRC , Exercise Steadfast Leda 21 the most remarkable , my experience cannot be more positive . The ARRC has far exceeded my initial expectations . This HQ is a benchmark among NATO headquarters , which signifies to me a high degree of daily commitment to maintain the high standard achieved over the preceding years . In that sense , our key task of sustaining the Corps , that is to say enabling the close and deep fight , is an enormous responsibility , one that the Support Division carries out with enormous professionalism , drawing on our motto “ Leading from the Rear ”.
Can you elaborate on how your role as DCOS Support is affected by our future focus as an NRF HQ ?
During the last 3 years the ARRC has been totally oriented and devoted to the role of a Warfighting Corps , a task that will change from 2024 when this HQ is certified as NATO Response Force and Land Component Command ( NRF LCC ) HQ . This implies that as of this summer we must recalibrate as NRF LCC , and for the Support Division this will entail a new challenge in terms of the new level of functional relationship with the higher unit ; in this particular case with the Joint Support and Enabling Command ( JSEC ) regarding deployment and enablement and Reception , Staging and Onward Movement ( RSOM ) in Theatre . Regarding the subordinate units , we will look forward to setting up links and bonds with the standby Very High Readiness Joint Task Force ( VJTF ) Brigade , currently 7th Infantry Brigade , and the other two Brigades in stand-up and stand-down respectively . Likewise , this process will have important consequences in the Command and Control ( C2 ) wrap model for the HQ , and therefore in the way Support Division will deliver its tasks .
Reading your CV , we can see that you have been deployed to many theatres including Afghanistan and Kosovo ; with more responsibilities each time . Do you think that these experiences have prepared you better for this new HQ role ?
The military career of an officer is a constant learning process that begins when you leave the Officer Academy by receiving your commission , and start your long journey ahead as a young lieutenant . It is a long process that goes through the units of the force where you exercise command in different jobs , through the Staffs and Headquarters you have been assigned to , and obviously also through the different missions and international operations in which you have been deployed ; in my particular case Bosnia , Croatia , Kosovo , Afghanistan and Lebanon . All those experiences count and matter , and after almost 40 years in uniform since I entered the Officers ’ Academy of Zaragoza , the experience accumulated in those Theatres of Operations has obviously prepared me to assume greater responsibilities and to have better criteria for decision making . Above all , the experience has enabled me to exercise a more effective leadership for the purposes of the military institution and the mission fulfilment .
Looking back through your previous appointments , Sir , clearly there have been many years of effort for you to reach this point in your career . Can you share with us any difficulties or special challenges that seemed at first impossible to resolve for you ?
When I look back , there are many difficult moments that I had to go through as an officer in the different duties performed , both national and international posts and operations abroad . Undoubtedly , the direct command of troops is the most rewarding job , as it is somehow the essence of the military , but also the most challenging with the biggest “ headache ”. However , I recall two former assignments that have been a real challenge to me , because in some ways they were jobs for which I was either not prepared or I had no playbook to follow . One of them was as Head of the Medium Term Planning Team at JFC HQ Naples ; the operational level of command is not a very common role in most NATO countries , especially when it comes to draft a Joint Coordination Order ( JCO ) to coordinate and synchronize the various components for real operations . Also my last position , as Secretary General at the General Staff of the Army HQ was challenging , as I was responsible for the digitization of the Spanish Army and also in charge of creating and setting in motion the “ Army Brand ”, both tasks for which I had to break new ground and set a new path where I very often was uncertain of the outcome .
The Spanish contingent is quite small here at HQ ARRC . What is your experience of your integration into the HQ ?
Yes , indeed , the Spanish contingent is quite small compared to others , only 4 representatives , all in Support Division . However , it has not prevented us feeling positively valued from the very beginning . Speaking for the Spaniards , I must say that we all feel fully integrated and supported by the military family of this HQ . In fact , the enormous degree of multinationality of the ARRC is a key to its strength .
And finally , thinking about England , The United Kingdom and your private life , how do you find Innsworth and Gloucestershire ?
From the personal point of view , myself and my family have been made to feel very welcome by the Innsworth military patch community since our arrival . My wife and I have always been passionate about England ’ s history , customs and way of life , and here in Gloucester , nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds , there could be no better place to explore , and from which to enjoy Great Britain and its people . It is a unique opportunity to discover the beauty of this country , and at the same time during our stay in the UK a great opportunity for our daughter to learn English in the school , which will open up new horizons for her in the future .
12 SUMMER 2022 the imjin