Brunssum, Netherlands – Rear Admiral Simon Hardern (Deputy Chief of Staff (Plans)), in his capacity as Acting Chief of Staff JFC Brunssum, addressed eighteen Hungarian staff college students escorted by a former Hungarian Chief of Defence - General (Rtd.) Zoltan Szenes PhD.

 

The National University of Public Service in Budapest provides a base for this course.  The Commander also found time to briefly address the students and outlined what it meant to serve in NATO.

 

The aim of the joint course is to provide well educated and prepared Colonel-level officers for policy and leadership positions in the Hungarian Defence Forces.  Course members will fill key positions at strategic, operational and tactical levels both at home and in NATO.

 

In his opening remarks Rear Admiral Hardern provided insight to the tasks of JFC Brunssum and the main topics that the Headquarters is currently engaged in; subsequence presentations focused on NATO`s RESOLUTE SUPPORT mission in Afghanistan, the enhanced Forward Presence on the Eastern flank of NATO, and on the enhanced NATO Response Force.