SOLBIATE OLONA (VA), 31st January 2003. More than 120 international officers of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Italy attended a Crisis Management course in Solbiate Olona (Varese) – Italy.
From 27th to 31st January 2003 a one-week Crisis Management Course took place at the NATO Headquarters based close to Milan. The staff of the NATO School, in Oberammergau, Germany, organized and run the course aimed at training officers of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – IT (NRDC-IT) in managing crisis. Navy staff officers and staff of Italian Army units that are closely working with the new NATO Command also attended the course.
Speakers coming from all over the world and discussing topics such as International Politics, Security, Media and NATO tasks and organization, had held more than 25 seminars and conferences.
Each speaker brought his personal experience regarding the most recent crises, such as those in the Balkans and in Afghanistan, and in particular about the terrorism threat.
Among them, the most distinguished were Ambassador Vernon PENNER, Vice President for International Services, Crisis Management Worldwide, Mr. Andrew DOLAN, Personal Assistant to NATO Secretary General, Mrs. Patricia KELLY former CNN Brussels Bureau Chief and the Commander of Navy Allied Force South, Vice Admiral Ferdinando Sanfelice di Monteforte.
The NATO School (SHAPE) based in Oberammergau has more than 50 years training expertise dedicated to the Alliance personnel. It provides more than 60 courses per year, attended by an average of 7700 students coming from 51 different countries, inside and outside the Alliance. The School has a very useful tool, the Mobile Training Team (MTT), which is able to move everywhere, bring the in each country, and train people where they are stationed.
This course is part of the training scheduled for the NRDC-IT staff that has recently completed his certification training programme intented to achieve the Full Operational Capability; now the Corps is able to be deployed everywhere within 30 days.