NRF - Slovenska vojska

Slovenia and the Slovenian Armed Forces have undertakento man, organise and train the Mn CBRNDBn for the implementation of required tasks.To achieve these ambitious goals it was necessary toplan well, coordinate activities and implement qualitypreparation. Preparations began in 2009, whilethe majority of preparation activities has takenplace this year. Described bellow are some of themost important preparation activities:Participation of the 18th CBRN DefenceBattalion members in the Naples exerciseTwo members of the 18th CBRN Defence BattalionHQ attended the exercise focusing on operationallevel military planning and decision making, whichtook place between 7 and 19 March in Naples.They acted as liaison officers and became acquaintedwith the procedures and documents used in theplanning of international operations and NATO ResponseForce, in which the battalion will operate in2011.Participation in the NOBLEJEWEL 10 exerciseActivities related to the 18th CBRN Defence Battalion’sparticipation in NRF-16 have been underwayfor quite some time. The first activities began alreadyin 2009.At the end of May and in early June, Naples (Italy)held the NOBLE JEWEL 10 exercise. This was an exerciseof the NATO Joint Force Command and includedarmed forces’ members of all the countriesparticipating in NRF-16. Slovenia, as the NRF-16 leadnation for 2011, is responsible for the provision ofa chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defencebattalion, the core of which will be the 18thCBRN Defence Battalion. For this reason, 4 membersof the 18th CBRN Defence Battalion took part in theexercise. The task of the 18th CBRN Defence Battalionmembers included orders’ processing, makingCBRN analyses, advising higher HQs and preparingdaily reports.The exercise served as a preparation of participatingmembers and units for the coming activities –including the three major international exercises:NOBLE LIGHT, DECISIVE RESPONSE and STEADFASTJUNO.INTEGRATION 10In early June, the Slovenian Armed Forces CentralFiring Range and Training Area Poček held the IN-TEGRATION 10 exercise which included membersof all the 18th CBRND Bn laboratories in the contextof NRF-16. Included in the exercise were alsomodules of the 11th Signal Battalion and the 670thCommand and Logistics Battalion (POVLOGB). ThePreparation of SAFUnits for NRF-16exercise was crucial for testing the reporting elementand for the establishment of cooperationbetween the above-mentioned NRF-16 modules.Slovenia will enter the preparedness phase in January2011.The aim of the exercise was to harmonise cooperationbetween the CBRN Defence Battalion ReconnaissanceCompany, the 11th Signal Battalion, theSIBCRA groups, the decontamination group and themobile biological, chemical and radiological laboratories(MBLAB, MKLAB and MRLAB). Coordinationbetween individual field teams and those operatingon the base was provided by the mobile nuclear, radiological,chemical and biological analytical laboratoryHQ (PJRKBALAB).The result of good cooperation between units wasseen in a continuous series of events such as detection,forensic sampling in accordance with theSIBCRA standards and tactical sampling conductedwith the Cobra Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV),transfer and confirmatory identification of acquiredbiological, chemical and radiological samples in accordancewith the standard procedures, and submissionof reports to the PJRKBALAB.A particularity of the INTEGRATION 10 exercise wasthe fact that all three mobile analytical (radiological,chemical and biological) laboratories were on thefield, to where R, C and B samples were also deliveredduring training. All three laboratories analysedthe samples and submitted reports to the battalionHQ. The present ALAB team proved very homogenous,and cooperation between the MOBLABs andthe military and professional sections of the unitwas upgraded.Exercise participants demonstrated a high level ofexpertise and completed the training highly motivated,and full of new experiences and energy toface autumn challenges.RACOON 1 - 6RACOON exercises were conducted in 2010 by thereconnaissance company as preparation for theCBRN Defence Battalion’s tactical exercises in thecontext of assuming duties in the NRF-16 contingent.Visit by the JFCNP representatives tothe 18th CBRN Defence BattalionIn the context of preparedness phase for NRF-16,JFCNP representatives visited the 18th CBRN DefenceBattalion on 23 June 2010. The purpose ofthe visit was to exchange information, present proceduresimplemented in the JFCNP, as well as becomefamiliar with the capabilities of the 18th CBRNDefence Battalion. For this purpose, the 18th CBRNDefence Battalion prepared and conducted a staticdisplay of CBRN equipment and assets, and thusdemonstrated a high level of readiness.MAIN PLANNING CONFERENCE FOR NRF-16From 29 June to 2 July, the Poljče Defence TrainingCentre (DTC) held the main planning conference(MPC) for NRF-16. At the conference, representativesof French, Polish, Hungarian and SlovenianArmed Forces synchronised plans for future workand better cooperation between the NRF-16 units.The MPC also focused on the implementation of theDecisive Response 2010 exercise which is to takeplace this autumn and will be the central exercise ofthe Slovenian Armed Forces.Staff functions training for theDECISIVE RESPONSE 10 exerciseThe 18th CBRN Defence Battalion, along with its detachments(670th POVLOGB, VZE, 57th LOGB/EODand 11th BZV), is preparing to take the lead of theCBRN Bn in NRF-16 in 2011.As part of preparations for these duties, the 18thCBRN Defence Battalion conducted staff training forthe DECISIVE RESPONSE 10 exercise which will takeplace in November. The training was conducted atthe Kranj Military Post from 23 to 27 August. The DE-CISIVE RESPONSE exercise will focus on CRO planning.The goal of the staff training was to review and understanddirections of the higher command (72ndBrigade), and prepare all necessary training documentsin the English language.DECISIVE STEP 2010 exercise with casualty agentsand NATO certificationIn September, the CBRN Training and Testing Centrein Zemianske Kostolany, held the DECISIVE STEP2010 exercise with casualty agents, and NATO certificationof the mobile chemical laboratory of the18th CBRN Defence Battalion under the watchfuleye of supervisors. The certification is a requirementfor participation in NRF-16 in the first half of 2011.At the same time, there was a bilateral exercise withthe French SIBCRA sampling team, which enabledthe Slovenian battalion to exchange knowledgeand experience, and also to present equipment andcapabilities of both units.Described above are only some of the exercises,tests, certifications and other activities attended bythe units participating in the NRF.The culmination of all training and preparations,however, is the exercise that is ahead of us, the DecisiveResponse 2010.19