NATO Special Forces – Commanders Training in Cracow

According to the press department of the Polish command, several special forces officers hailing from eight NATO member states and partner nations, including Ukraine, Georgia and Moldavia, were enhancing their skills, during the course which was scheduled to take place between 11th and 15th April. Officers from Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Germany and the United States of America also took part in the training session. The course participants had a chance to get acquainted with the NATO special operations doctrine, structure of the Allied special operations command and the basic terminology and procedures, widely applied during the staff’s operational activities.

Training classes were being carried out in a form of lectures, discussions, then practical tasks were being carried out to verify the skills. British and Finnish officers of the mobile NSHQ education team acted as the lecturers.

The fact that the course was organized in Poland, at the Special Operations Component Command, confirms and reinforces our role of a regional leader, when it comes to the special forces. The opportunity given the Georgian special forces to participate in the course also constitutes an example of practical implementation of the Polish commitment, resulting from a bilateral cooperation agreement signed between the Georgian and Polish Special Forces.

According to the team which ran the course, the Polish SOCC staff course edition, organized with assistance of the NSHQ has a pilot profile, however it is assumed that the NSHQ is going to realize regular training events of a similar character at the Cracow-based facility, expanding its training offer. Polish Special Operations Component Command has a very good training and logistics base at its disposal, perfectly suitable to organize such initiatives, as the course director, chief of the MET team noted.    

NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ) – is located in Mons, in Belgium. It is the most important commanding organ dealing with commanding and transformation of the special forces. NSHQ is also responsible for coordinating the special operations at the NATO level. The said body closely cooperates with the commanders of the special forces of the member states and other European organizations, including the European Union. Soldiers of the NATO special forces, including the Polish officers, work at the NSHQ. At the moment, US General Marshall B. Webb is the commander of the NSHQ.