ARRC G9 hones professional and analytical skills with Associated British Ports
Ex ARRCADE LIAISON
Exercise ARRCADE LIAISON is an annual overseas exercise for HQ ARRC ’ s G9 branch and Human Security Advisor ( HSAD ), which took place this year from 24th to 28th March . Across the Netherlands and Belgium , the participants visited four NATO CIMIC organisations from the strategic , operational and tactical level , as well as conducting Battlefield studies from a CIMIC perspective .
Day one saw the exercise kicked off with a visit to the CIMIC Centre of Excellence ( CCOE ) in the Hague and saw discussions on the four primary themes used throughout the trip :
• What are the major implications arising from the coming NATO CIMIC doctrine ?
• What is the role of NATO CIMIC within NATO ’ s concept for deterrence and defence of the Euro Atlantic Area ?
• What is , or should be the overlap between Human Security and NATO CIMIC ?
• What can NATO CIMIC learn from the recent conflicts ?
An intense exchange of knowledge followed and when the ARRC team departed , all parties were left satisfied and confident that
efforts were unending to modernise the doctrinal framework , and so ensure CIMIC moves and adapts quickly and efficiently to the modern battlefield .
The setting of the next visit was in stark contrast to that of the modern classrooms of the CCOE -the site where the battle of Waterloo had taken place over two hundred years earlier . Here the team were expertly guided in a battlefield tour , learning not only that the Sharpe ’ s War adaptation of the event was not entirely inaccurate , but also that the ARRC was born that day in the form of the 1st Corps and lead by the Dutch Prince , Major General William .
Day two was arranged at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ( SHAPE ) in Belgium , hosted by Rear Admiral Gunnstein Bruasdal ( SHAPE DCOS Partnership Director ). Along with representatives from SHAPE J9 and J3 , we discussed the four key themes from a Strategic perspective and additionally covered the optimisation of the warfighting alliance , the importance of national resilience and how the Civil Environment Picture is built and communicated in the most effective way .
Day three saw a slight change in tone as the ARRC team was fortunate enough to be able to visit a much coveted and rare CIMIC Unit ( 1 Civil-Military Interaction-Command ) at the Netherlands Communication and Engagement Centre
( C & E ). Here we were treated to multiple presentations on the realities for CIMIC Units on the ground and the very real complications they face operating in a multinational environment on a modern battlefield .
After a hearty lunch and more interesting exchanges , the ARRC team said their farewells and headed for the Overloon WWII museum for another battlefield tour . Here the focus was on the often-overlooked experience of civilians during the war and how they were affected by military action , as well as how their actions had impact and influence on the armed forces of both sides .
The fourth and final day of the exercise brought the experience to a close in the Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum ( JFCBS ) J9 . Although the same four themes were used , the difference in perspective and experience was once again clear and our conversations primarily focussed on the necessity of early engagement and liaison , as well as the role of CIMIC in a joint function framework .
A lot was learned over four short days ; however , it was clear to all that there is much more to do . We look forward to our next LIAISON exercise , but in the meantime , we will continue to share our knowledge and experience , whilst working hard to expand our own ..
ARRC G9 hones professional and analytical skills with Associated British Ports
As ARRC ’ s leading agent for engagement with Non-Military Actors ( NMAs ), ARRC G9 improved their professional expertise by coordinating and executing a visit to the Associated British Ports ’ Newport facility . NMAs will play a vital role in any future ARRC deployment , whether the mission is focused upon supporting humanitarian assistance as part of a Disaster Response Operation , reinforcing regional stability as part of a Peace Support Operation , or defending NATO territorial integrity by operating as a Warfighting Corps Headquarters . NMAs critically impact the Area of Operations ( AOR ) by supplying vital logistics capabilities to the military effort , supporting the health , welfare , and development of the civil population , and directly contributing to the overall security within the AOR .
With the lessons from Exercise STEADFAST JUPITER in mind , preparedness for NATO Response Force at heart , and planning for AVENGER TRIAD 24 ongoing , ARRC ’ s Engineer and CIMIC Branch began 2024 with the goal of enhancing their ability to effectively engage with NMAs and understand the civil environment . To energise this effort , representatives from the Engineer and CIMIC
Branch travelled to Newport , Wales to meet with Mr . John Phillips , the South Wales Commercial and Logistics Manager for Associated British Ports . Mr . Phillips generously shared his expertise and experience , describing the interconnecting role ports play in regional economies and societies .
He highlighted the diverse nature of port facilities , emphasizing that each port developed to handle specific cargoes according to its geographic location and economic linkages . The port of Newport was originally designed to serve as a bulk coal terminal , but it has evolved with changing market conditions to handle steel , agricultural bulk goods , and lumber . Other regional ports have been specifically designed to handle container traffic or petroleum products . Because of this specialization , the facilities and infrastructure of each port are unique and not suitable for all classes of cargo . Similarly , the storage and onward shipping capabilities at each port are tailored to its economic requirements . These unique capabilities are important for corporate , humanitarian , and military planners to analyse and understand as they seek to efficiently meet their logistics requirements .
Because ports have tremendous economic and defence importance , ABP and other port operators place a heavy emphasis on resilience and crisis preparedness . Using the port of Newport as an example , Mr . Phillips explained how even brief port disruptions can cause significant impacts on local industries , farmers , and citizens . He provided examples of best practices for logistics resilience plans , demonstrating how joint planning with local first responders mitigates the severity of potential disruptions . Additionally , he discussed ABP ’ s redundancy planning , leveraging other local port facilities to reduce the effects of service losses at a single location .
After these extremely informative theoretical discussions , Mr . Phillips provided the ARRC Engineer and CIMIC team with a tour of the port . He explained the key infrastructure associated with the port and discussed how ABP seeks to enhance the efficiency and resilience of its facilities . His discussions of potential vulnerabilities were particularly informative as he explained the cascading effects that can be caused by what initially appear to be minor damages . The issues he discussed could cause significant difficulties for both communities and military operations relying upon port facilities for key support and logistics requirements .
Although the port of Newport is located less than an hour from ARRC ’ s home at Imjin Barracks , the engagement with ABP provided knowledge and understanding which ARRC G9 can directly apply to future overseas deployments and exercise scenarios . ABP ’ s cooperation enabled the ARRC G9 branch to exercise and improve its own capabilities for Civil Military Interaction and Civil Liaison , build familiarity with commercial organizations , and develop the conceptual understanding the impact of port facilities within potential areas of operations .
the imjin SUMMER 2024
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