Ukraine Armed Forces Enhances Multinational Training Experience

Photo By Capt. Kara Siepmann | Two Italian army officers mentor Ukrainian army officers on how to develop commander’s update slides during a multinational staff officer course at the National Defence University in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sept. 17-20.  

CA, UNITED STATES

09.24.2019

Story by Capt. Kara Siepmann 

California National Guard Primary   

KYIV, UKRAINE— Sixteen Ukrainians, two Italians, and two Americans walk into a classroom—every day for two weeks Sept. 16-27, 2019, at Ukraine’s National Defence University for the Multinational Staff Officers Course to prepare officers working at multinational headquarters and engaged in multinational exercises worldwide.

“The more people involved as staff element enriches exercise altogether,” said Ukrainian Col. Vasyl Shkoliarenko, commandant of NDU’s Multinational Staff Officer Training & Research Centre. The current version of the class, which seeks to incorporate officers of foreign armies, is the brain child of Shkoliarenko, who was inspired by the high level of training and diverse classrooms in American military schoolhouses.

Ukrainian officers hailing from units all over the country attended the three-week course that teaches students the NATO operational planning process (OPP) and staff procedures and enhances interoperability among NATO and Ukrainian units in peace support operational and joint training activities. Ranging in experience from doctors to pilots and engineers to linguists and in rank from O-3 to O-6, Ukrainian officers attended the course to become knowledgeable brigade staff officers, ready to deploy in support of NATO operations.

“Entrance requirements for the course are rigorous, in that we seek creative thinkers in our ranks,” said Ukrainian Col. Yuriy Naplyokov. For example, students are hand selected by their commanders and must be fluent in English, one of the primary languages of NATO operations.

The involvement of international officers allows the exchange of opinions and expertise, said Shkoliarenko. In a combined environment, students are forced to not simply translate Ukrainian to English, but think and execute in a common NATO language.

The class is not exclusive to current brigade staff members. Most students this year are unit commanders or practice a specialty not traditionally on a brigade staff.

“Students in any military position can apply the principals of operational planning process (OPP) and design to enhance the effectiveness of their job. Operational planning process (OPP) is a universal NATO military instrument to improve thinking and work,” said Shkoliarenko.

“I hadn’t done operational planning process (OPP) in my life and I found the coursework and practical exercise very interesting. My colleagues will be envious I had the opportunity to attend this course,” Ukrainian Lt. Col. Yuri Smetana, who works at the Search and Rescue Centre of Armed Forces of Ukraine in Vinnitsia.

Traditionally, students study stability, or humanitarian, operations. This class iteration, the instructors have expanded the field of study to practicing full spectrum operations.

For two weeks this September, half of the duration of the entire course, the multinational training course is for the first time actually multinational—during both instruction and practice exercise, a computer exercise aligned with “Rapid Trident – 2019”, an annual peacekeeping and readiness exercise involving 14 nations at Yavoriv Training Area, near Lviv, Ukraine.

Students are learning about the Operational Planning Process (OPP), NATO’s version of the U.S. Army’s Military Decision Making Process, and acting as the staff of a multinational brigade, directly contributing to the primary training audience in Yavoriv.

NDU’s training courses are timely, as Ukraine is moving quickly to adopt NATO standards nationwide. There will be systemic changes to their terminology, technical graphics, and processes.

“This course and movement to full spectrum operation and using OPP are a very success next step in training capabilities at NDU,” said Shkoliarenko.

For nearly 19 years, past iterations of the course have been multinational in spirit and curriculum, but this session was the first truly diverse class. Two officers from the Italian Armed Forces and two from the California Army National Guard attended the class as OCTs (Observers, Controllers and Trainers).

“While it was the intent of the Ukrainian instructors that their class would learn from their foreign visitors, I learned just as much as I shared,” said Maj. Patrick Bagley, human resource officer at the 115th Regional Support Group in Roseville, Calif.

Like the commandant, Naplyokov, the class’ lead instructor since 2015, attended U.S. Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College in the United States, where he gained an appreciation for the agile, team-oriented Western military style. He invited represented members of the international community for a more realistic classroom training environment.

It’s my objective to prepare these students to be good multinational staff officers, said Naplyokov.

Over his years as an instructor and now as commandant, Shkoliarenko has invited guest military officers from the U.S. and Germany. They serve as instructors, mentors, and sometimes students—learning from the Ukrainian officers take away just as much as they give.

Shkoliarenko’s staff of instructors share his philosophy.

“To study alone without other nations is futile—it’s necessary combine different mind sets, different perceptions and different decision making processes. While collaboration is a challenge at times, it’s critical to achieve new, imaginative ideas,” said Naplyokov.

When I teach my classes and I see the collaborative process between and students emerge, that’s when I see teamwork. I can inspire my students and they inspire me. There is a synergy effect that generates new ideas,” said Naplyokov.

The U.S. and Italian contingencies felt welcome and energized by their participation.

“I hadn’t expected to be completely integrated as a member of the team during the practical exercise,” Bagley said. “But I thoroughly enjoyed working and learning alongside my Ukrainian counterparts.”

Naplyokov hopes more nations will soon participate in some capacity in the course. “It’s kind of my motto,” he said. “Let’s do it together.”
“I’d like for students to improve their ability to think as good staff officers, and that they will share how to properly apply NATO operational planning process (OPP) principles with their colleagues, commanders and subordinates,” said Shkoliarenko.

“I think this class is fantastic and I’m happy to be a part of this multinational team. It’s important to see how my national community can communicate with officers from different countries,” said Ukrainian Col. Anna Turska, Ministry of Defence in Kyiv. “Because of this particular exercise, we’re under stress and frustrated but it’s a much more real situation than just simply classes and practice. Because of these exercises its extra pressure but gives everyone the ability to evaluate his own experience and knowledge and re-evaluate ambitions for the future.”

• Date Taken: 09.24.2019
• Date Posted: 09.24.2019 07:00
• Story ID: 343279
• Location: CA, US