10 • Transformation Through Training • Issue No: 10 • September 2017 all executed in Georgia at the front end of the actual execution, i.e. phase III-B. Preparation All of the Exercise Planning conferences (Initial Planning C, MPC, FCC and CPTMs to prepare these) were held in Georgia, which required extensive travel for some members of the JFTC team. It gave us a good opportunity to assess the facilities in use and to make recommendations for future developments. The MEL/MIL scripting week however was held at the JFTC due to the available CIS infrastructure and the ability to use the NATO FASs in Georgia. We decided to use the CERASIA Scenario and modify it to the needs of a Non-Article 5 Crisis Response Operation for a MN Brigade in a NATO environment. Execution Participants As mentioned before the Multinational Brigade Headquarters (MNB HQ) was the Primary Training Audience and consisted of 80 Personnel. The Brigade Commander was LTC Khvichia, who is the Commander of the 4th Brigade inVaziani. He brought along a portion of his own brigade HQ and was augmented with personnel from within the GEO Armed Forces as well as Multinational participants. In total 28 officers and NCOs from BEL, BGR, HUN, LTU, LVA, NLD, ROU, SVN, TUR and UKR worked in the Headquarters. Preparation Preparation started already on 2 November, when the advance party of JFTC Protocol, Real Life Support, CIS and NCIA arrived in the Krtsanisi Training Area. All the infrastructure for Training Audience (TA), EXCON and Exercise Support were set-up, networks prepared and installed and the Functional systems and connectivity tested. Most of the EXCON arrived on Tuesday 6 November, when we started with EXCON preparation and training. Exercise Conduct Training Audience in-processing was executed on 9 November and on Thursday 10 November we started in the Vaziani Barracks with the required security, real life support and exercise in-briefs, followed by the opening ceremony and an ice breaker for all. Training Audience Key leaders received their first training on 11 November. It covered a short introduction to start off with, as it was the first time the key leaders actually met. Furthermore presentations and discussions on the MDPM in general, the scenario in depth, the IPB delivery by the Bde S2 and information dissemination on Legal aspects and cooperation with IOs/ GOs/NGOs prepared them for the next step in the conduct of the exercise, which was the Crisis Response Planning phase. For three days the newly formed Bde HQ planned the lay-down of the forces in country, looked at several tasks already given to them by the Higher Commanders Headquarters, played by LANDCOM and gave orders to their sub-units. In the same time the sub-units, represented in LOCON and other players prepared themselves during the continuation of the EXCON preparation and training. Scripting was finalized and CAX Startex parameters and locations generated. In order to bring the Headquarters up to speed for the execution phase of the operation, a one-day session of Battle Staff Training was scheduled just before Startex. This gave the Brigadede Commander and Chief of Staff ample opportunity to give direction and guidance to the newly formed staff on how the information flow should be optimized and coordination achieved across the headquarters. Exercise play lasted three and a half days, in which several major incidents were played, battle rhythm events and working groups respectively boards were held and handover briefs were delivered. Media and STRATCOM played a major role as well as the interaction with international organisations and role-players from the host nation, creating a Comprehensive Environment in which a unit conducting a Crisis Response Operation needs to operate. On day 3 of the execution phase (Thursday 17 November) ACT organised a well-visited DV Day, where approximately 140 guests were hosted, amongst others the President, several ministers and the CHOD of Georgia, CHODs from various NATO countries, a host of ambassadors and defence attaches accredited to Georgia and many dignitaries from the political, civilian and military society in Georgia. After Action Review The after action review on the last day of the exercise focused on three separate parts: firstly the achievement of the training objectives and the overall lessons learned for exercise preparation, setup and execution. The second part analysed the Multinational Brigade performance and gave advice on improvements regarding processes and standingoperatingprocedures.Thelastpart was conducted with limited participation and focused on providing feedback on NATO-GEO JTEC facilities and capabilities, future mentoring and the next iteration of the NATO-Georgia Exercise. All output was captured and discussed during the Post Exercise discussion, conducted two months after the exercise. Support Every exercise we execute requires extensive support from NCS/ NFS entities and other organisations. The NATO-GEO Exercise was not different in this respect. I will only mention major players who supported us during the preparation and execution of the exercise, with the risk of forgetting some other important players. For EXCON augmentation we were supported by LANDCOM personnel for depicting the Higher Commanders’ Headquarters (HICON). The Joint Multinational Simulation Centre from the USAREUR filled positions in the Training Team and the Observer/Analyst Team, supporting us with knowledge and