Liptovsky Mikuláš is a small town about 4 hours' drive from Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic. The Slovak National Academy of Defence there hosts a Junior Staff Officers' Course.
The JSOC course (as always there's a military acronym, pronounced "jay-sock") provides command and staff training to senior lieutenants, captains and majors from NATO and other countries.
The course is funded and supported by the Ministries of Defence of 3 countries - the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the Slovak Republic. Officers from over 20 countries have studied on the course.
The first week is dedicated to consolidating English language skills. But officers who hope to attend the school need above average English language skills (minimum requirements are STANAG level 3.2.3.2) before they arrive.
There are two main reasons for insisting on strong English language skills. Firstly, the participants are almost certain to be sent on international missions, including peacekeeping, peace support operations and humanitarian and natural disaster operations. In all of these contexts English is the lingua franca. Secondly, all the input at JSOC is given in English. The 1-week induction is not enough for anyone whose English is not already upper-intermediate level.
Although the 12-week courses are intensive, JSOC is not about cramming students with knowledge. Team-work and collaborative thinking are very important. The 50 or so students on each course work in syndicates of 8-10 students.
There is a strong emphasis on the development of analytical skills. Officers learn how to assess factors in a given situation. The aim is to produce leaders and staff officers who are both effective and flexible.
The core syllabus of the course deals with the ‘full spectrum of operations’ but includes Counter-Insurgency, Peace Enforcement, Peace Support and Humanitarian Operations. Students receive the course timetable in advance and are expected to begin their own research on each topic before attending lectures.
Class discussion and debate is encouraged. Instead of a formal exam, students prepare their own syndicate presentations and work in groups as well as individually to show their understanding and assessment of the course content.
The JSOC students live on campus in single-person accommodation. Sports facilities are good. There is a 50m indoor heated swimming pool, 4 gyms, football pitches and an athletics track. The High and Low Tatra mountains - reaching altitudes of well over 2,000m - are close by and are excellent for skiing and hiking.
The Liptovský Mikuláš National Academy of Defence is not the only establishment which provides a multi-lateral training centre for military personnel- but it is the only one that produces training for junior staff officers for so many nations.
Others include the Yavoriv PfP Training Centre in Ukraine, the Almnas PfP Training Centre in Sweden and the Bucharest PfP Training Centre, Romania. JSOC's success illustrates the need for interoperability as Europe's ground forces evolve in terms of role and size.
JSOC: teaching methodology - "drag and drop" exercise
JSOC: the school's rationale - "word reorder" exercise
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