Army In-Country
Training -- Estonia!
By MAJ Michael Brewer and CPT Lisa Vining
Situated between Europe and Eurasia, Estonia offers a
unique perspective into both east and west. The Army
currently operates 18 in-Country Training (ICT) sites in
Europe, but Estonia is one of only two sites open for Eurasian
FAOs. The other site is located at the Marshall Center in
Garmisch, Germany. Estonia's one-year long ICT is centered
on the ten-month long Senior Staff Course at the Baltic
Defence College (BDCOL) located in the university town of
Tartu, Estonia.
Figure 1 -
Statue of Lenin in a garbage heap on the outskirts of Tartu |
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The Baltic Defence College first opened its doors on August 16,1999; the third course is currently in session. The
main objective of the Senior Staff Course is to establish and continuously improve the training and
development of the senior staff officers of the armed forces of the Baltic States. Since the course
emphasizes democratic leadership principles and prepares Baltic officers for work according to NATO
procedures, the presence of international students provides the Baltic students with the contacts necessary
to enhance their knowledge and understanding of NATO operations. In addition to 10 Estonian officers,
nine Latvian officers and nine Lithuanian officers, this year's course includes two Danish officers, two
Bosnian officers, and one officer each from Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary,
Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Obviously the daily contact that ICT FAOs
have with their Baltic counterparts offers them an unparalleled understanding of life in post-Soviet
countries as well as an appreciation for the development of armed forces in newly-democratic countries.
Equally as important, the yearlong course allows ICT FAOs to forge lifelong friendships with officers from
the Baltic region.
The Senior Staff Course takes into account the general geographic and political conditions, as well as
the territorial defense concepts of each of the Baltic countries. Course work covers operations and tactics,
logistics, strategy and political studies, staff duties, management and administration, total defense and
military technology. Additionally, NATO standards, legal aspects of operations and the principles of
democratic control within the Defense Forces are integrated into the course. The instruction covers not only
the problems of land Figure 2 - 1979 Picture of the building that currently houses the Baltic
Defense College |
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and air defense, but also maritime operations. During the ten-and-a-
half month course, about eight weeks are spent traveling in the three Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, and
Estonia), studying the region's defense problems. During several of these trips, ICT FAOs have the
opportunity to meet with ministry-level representatives of the Baltic countries. Also, study trips to Sweden,
the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland are included in the course curriculum. These trips offer insight
into the process and challenges of NATO integration.
Teaching at the Senior Staff Course alternates between lectures, plenary sessions and small groups
(syndicates of 6 - 7 students with mixed backgrounds, with one member of the College staff attached to act
as a catalyst). The staff consists of officers from twelve different countries. There is currently one
American Lieutenant Colonel on the staff. He is a Special Forces officer, who works as a syndicate guiding
officer and chairman of the military technology department. In the future, a United States Army FAO will
replace this officer.
Figure 3 -
Current ICT FAO with her Estonian and Latvian colleagues at an Estonian Defense League sports
competition |
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The Baltic Defence College's location in Tartu, Estonia provides
ICT FAOs with numerous cultural opportunities. Tartu is often called "The Athens of Estonia." It is
Estonia's second largest city with 100,000 inhabitants, and because of its world-famous university, the town
is widely known as the intellectual capital of Estonia. Founded by the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus
in 1632, the university made Tartu the center of education and science for centuries. Tartu has the same
status in Estonia as Heidelberg in Germany, Uppsala and Lund in Sweden.
In addition to the Senior Staff Course, ICT FAOs in Estonia have the opportunity to conduct local and
regional travel before and after the Senior Staff Course (approximately two months). This block of time
offers FAOs the opportunity to travel to St. Petersburg, Moscow and other destinations in Russia.
Weekends and holiday breaks offer additional opportunities to travel to destinations within the Baltic
countries. The American Embassy is located in the capital city of Tallinn, about three hours north of Tartu.
Tartu is 200 km from Riga, Latvia and 560 km from Vilnius, Lithuania. Classes at the Baltic Defence
College are conducted in English, but FAOs schedule Russian language training through the Tartu
University.
This ICT site is open both to unaccompanied FAOs and FAOs with family members. FAOs with
family members are lodged in private housing on the economy in Tartu. Single officers are lodged in the
Tartu Hotel. Normal arrival dates are July, with the BDCOL course beginning in August. Shipment of POV
and household goods is authorized. The BDCOL's Internet site, http://www.bdcol.ee,
provides a superb overview of the college, including a detailed course curriculum.
The combination of the BDCOL curriculum, close ties to Baltic officers, and regional travel makes
this ICT an exciting alternative to the Marshall Center for Eurasian FAOs.
2001, Foreign Area Officer Association
Springfield, Virginia
Maintained by LTC Steve
Gotowicki.
http://www.faoa.org