BRUNSSUM, the Netherlands – As part of the preparations for the NATO exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 (STDE24), Joint Forces Command Brunssum (JFCBS) has taken a strategic action to strengthen NATO's operational readiness and test its collective defence capabilities, by conducting a Key Leader Training session with the participation of other NATO entities such as Joint Force Command Norfolk, Joint Warfare Centre, Joint Support and Enabling Command, Special Operation Forces Command, Land Command, Maritime Command and Air Command.
General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, the Commander of JFCBS, emphasized the importance of the Training in the lead-up to STDE24. He stated,
The Key Leader Training serves as a critical milestone for Joint Force Command Brunssum on its path to improve its warfighting Headquarters capabilities. This training is pivotal in honing our leaders' skills, fostering collaboration, and ensuring seamless coordination across Joint Operations Areas.
STDE24 is an Article 5 exercise and is primarily designed to demonstrate NATO's ability to strengthen the Supreme Allied Commander Europe's (SACEUR) area of responsibility through the transatlantic redeployment of forces from North America. The exercise, which takes a 360°, multi-domain approach, also underscores the capability and deployment of forces across Europe, with a focus on demonstrating live exercises.
The Key Leader Training played a pivotal role in the preparatory phases of STDE24. The Wargaming session, hosted by JFCBS in close coordination with the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway, and close interaction with Joint Force Command Norfolk, aimed to provide key leaders with a platform to explore their roles in cross-JOA coordination and projecting combat power against conventional threats.
At the end of the event, General Miglietta once again emphasised the purpose of this training: "This Wargame is not just a simulation. The lessons learnt here will help us refine our operational strategies: Joint Force Command Brunssum is prepared for any future challenges. All in all, this is not just a big step for us. It's also a step for the entire alliance."