Photo By Sgt. Cheryl Madolev | Multinational soldiers including U.S. Soldiers assigned to Regional Command-East of...... read more read more
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SKOPJE, North Macedonia – Located a short drive from Kosovo is Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. This is also the location of the Public Affairs Regional Centre, or PARC. PARC is a part of the Republic of Macedonia’s Ministry of Defence, and is an education and training center that was established in 2003. The organization obtained unconditional accreditation as a recognized NATO training provider in early 2025. This accreditation confirms full compliance to NATO’s quality standards for education and training.
Recently, U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Regional Command-East of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission, also known as KFOR, attended PARC’s five-day Crisis Communication Course. The course took place March 17 – 21, 2025. The Soldiers were students of the first course hosted by PARC since acquiring unconditional accreditation through NATO.
Course Director at the Public Affairs Regional Centre, OF- 4 Aleksandar Jovanovski, says the course uses theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical exercises that simulate real-world scenarios that include media pressure, social media dynamics and strategic thinking skills that are critical in navigating crises effectively.
“Crisis communication is not just a skill, it's a critical capability that can make or break an organization's reputation and operational effectiveness, especially in the defense and security sector,” said Jovanovski. “In today's interconnected world, where a local incident can quickly escalate into an international crisis, this kind of shared understanding and collaborative spirit is invaluable.”
The Crisis Communications Course consisted of public affairs professionals from 13 different nations including Estonia, Ireland, Israel, Moldova, Slovenia, North Macedonia, U.S., Qatar, Lithuania, Ukraine, Netherlands, Poland and Iceland.
KFOR’s media platforms ensure the public remains informed about training, missions and community engagement throughout Kosovo. However, a crisis can happen at any time and public affairs personnel must prepare themselves and its leadership to communicate with the public and respond to the media during these pivotal moments and situations.
U.S. Army OF-1 Bailey Breving, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, is Military Assistant for Regional Command-East commander, and she understands the importance of preparing leadership for media engagements.
“After nearly a decade in the public affairs field, I understand how critical communicating effectively during a crisis is,” said Breving. “Like many Soldier skills, clear and credible communication during a high-pressure situation is a perishable skill, so it needs to be practiced often. The public affairs officer may be the primary spokesperson, or it could be the unit commander, which is why rehearsals are essential to building confidence and refining responses when the pressure is on.”
To add to the group of multinational students was a multinational group of instructors. PARC enlisted the expertise from NATO Joint Forces Command Brunssum, a public affairs officer from Croatia and a representative from the NATO Public Diplomacy Division.
“We seek presenters who can adapt their content and delivery style to diverse audiences,” said Jovanovski. “We prioritize those who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and contributing to the development of the next generation of communicators.”
Throughout the course, the students were given a scenario-based crisis situation and with a specific amount of time to prepare a statement and talking points before appearing on camera. Afterwards, classmates and instructors viewed their performance and identified what they did well and constructive feedback on the areas in which they could improve. By the end of the week, all participants noticed improvements within themselves and their peers.
“The instructors spared no mercy, challenging us to address tough questions pertaining to potential casualties, economic fallout, and whistleblower leaks, all while under pressure to deliver timely, true, and transparent information,” said Breving. “Although the scenario was realistic and challenging, we were all grateful for the opportunity to make mistakes in a welcoming classroom environment rather than in a real-world situation unfolding live.”
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2025 05:00 |
| Story ID: | 494707 |
| Location: | SKOPJE, MK |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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