Preparing for an NRF period, a big spring cleaning (Gen. Van Impe)
(BRUSSELS2) “ With the NRF period, we do the spring cleaning says Brigadier General Philippe Van Impe, deputy head of personnel training and rear support for the Corps de Réaction Rapide-France (CCR). In 2014, CCR-France will in fact command the land component of NATO's rapid reaction force. In other words, the NRF (NATO Reaction Force) which aims to enable rapid military response to an emerging crisis ". With the Belgian general, what interested us was the preparation phase before this "guard" takeover.
NRF preparation changes to habits?
Oh yes. When we find out that we are going to take the NRF tour, we find out that we have to do a lot. The NRF period forces you to think about everything. All processes are questioned. This is an opportunity to "do the spring cleaning".
How long does it last?
The national preparation lasts about 12 to 18 months, then there is the NATO preparation of about 6 months. It's not a total change in our mission, we are trained for stabilization missions and we are permanently ready. But, there, it is within the framework NRF. So you have to adapt to the environment. The NRF is inter-army and international. We train especially on the "rapid intervention" character. Most of the processes remain the same but the deadlines change. The NRF preparation is a kind of rebirth. After Afghanistan, Chad, all these periods of alert offer opportunities to question ourselves.
How does the adaptation actually take place?
We have an action plan called “The road to readiness” which has been completely revised. We must be able to say that we are ready, to self-assess objectively. There are aptitude procedures, individual and collective training, medical tests and joint exercises. We simulate the whole process, a country feels threatened and appeals to Article 4 (or 5). In response, we will develop a deterrence plan. In the next exercise, Estonia will be the attacked country and we will do a study here on Estonia. We have methods to analyze a country. We are also studying historical cases such as the liberation of the port of Antwerp with an on-site exercise prepared here in Lille (NB: the CCR-France is installed within the Vauban citadel of Lille).
How is the cooperation between the different nations going?
Within the French HQ there is a multinational participation, with a technical agreement between the countries. There are contributions from the allies to the French and from the French to the allies. The allies have really important functions since 50% of the generals are allies. A third of the colonels are allies.
There are differences ?
It's true. There are differences of views. A German is not a Frenchman. There is a more Latin approach and a more Germanic approach. We Belgians are the integration specialists. But the doctrine here is NATO doctrine with influences from national doctrines. In Lille, we are as NATO-minded as in the ARRC (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) so most of the staff are familiar with NATO doctrine. General Charpentier, Commander of the Land Forces in Lille, tells us that he considers us to be the university of NATO.
(comment collected by Th. Le Bihan with Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
