The NATO Security Force Assistance (SFA) Centre of Excellence’s Director, Col. Massimo DI PIETRO, is pleased to announce that “The SFA Advisors' Enhancement Seminar” will take place from the 12th to 15th of July at the Italian Army Infantry School Officers’ Club (423, Via della Stazione di Cesano, Cesano di Roma).

“Insights on Strategic Advising for Security Force Assistance”

On the 11th of July 2022, NATO SFA COE will present its second publication titled “Insights on Strategic Advising for Security Force Assistance” prepared by the International Group of Experts and aimed at defining the behaviours, best practices, and training methods for SFA operators engaging in complex scenarios, while preserving a comprehensive approach.

NATO SFA COE representatives joined the SFA Training Needs Analysis (TNA) Analysis phase Workshop (WS) connected to the Military Contribution to Peace Support (MC2PS) NATO Discipline at Finnish Defence Forces International Centre (FINCENT) from the 14th to the 16th of June 2022 in Helsinki, FINLAND.

A NATO SFA COE representative joined the co-located Annual Discipline Conference (ADC) for Civil-Military Cooperation & Civil-Military Interaction (CIMIC & CMI) and the Finnish Defence Forces International Centre (FINCENT) as Department Head for Military Contribution to Peace Support (MC2PS) from the 7th to the 9th of June 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands.

From the 31st of May to the 4th of June 2022, a NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence delegation met a Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance (JCISFA) team, in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

On May 16th, a NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE) Subject Matter Expert participated in the virtual “Maritime Critical Infrastructure Protection” (MCIP) workshop organized by the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (NATO MARSEC COE).

On 12th of May the NATO SFA COE Director, Col Massimo Di Pietro, joined the third annual meeting of the Intelligence and Security related Centres of Excellence (COEs) organized by the Joint Intelligence and Security Division (JISD) of the NATO International Staff (IMS) with the NATO Intelligence Enterprise (NIE) to accelerate the cooperation and exchanging of views in the area of Education and Training (E&T) and to further strengthen the link between the NIE and relevant COEs.

On May 04th, a NATO Security Force Assistance (SFA) Centre of Excellence (CoE) SME briefed the audience of the “New peace operations as a stabilizing factor for EU” Course – organized at the Italian Centro Alti Studi Difesa (CASD) in Rome under the patronage of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) - on the impact of SFA in Crisis Response Operations.

From the 4th to the 5th of May 2022, the NATO SFA COE joined in the NATO Lessons Learned Conference organized by the NATO Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC).

From the 28th of March to the 1st of April 2022, representatives of the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE) participated in the Military Strategic Partnership Conference 2022 (MSPC 2022) – Dublin (IRELAND) organized by the Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).

NATO SFA COE Education and Training Branch representatives joined the COE E&T Chiefs Online Meeting organized by NATO HQ Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) Staff.  

NATO SFA COE representatives (Doctrine Development and Doctrine Branch and the Analysis and Lessons Learned Branch) joined in a seminar with other NATO Defence Education Enhancement Program (DEEP) Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), at the Tunisian War College in Tunisia, from 15 to 18 February 2022.

On the 15^th of February 2022, the NATO SFA COE joined in the 1^st Lessons Learned Community of Interest Coordination (LL CoI) Meeting organized by the NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT).

On the 3rd of February 2022 the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE) subject matter expert participated in the COMMON EXERCISE SETRIES 22 (CES22).

On the 25th of January, the NATO SFA COE joined in the “Right People Right Skills Online Workshop 2022” organized by the NATO Allied Command Transformation – Human Capital Support to Capability Development.

From the 18th to the 21st of January, a NATO SFA COE Subject Matter Expert held an educational activity within the training module organized as part of the Joint Services Staff Course (ISSMI) coordinated by the Centre for Defence Higher Studies (CASD). The module was aimed at the enhancement of the personnel’s soft skills in Leadership, Team Building and Problem-Solving.

On the 2nd of December 2021, during the roundtable on the  “Security Force Assistance  in Afghanistan”, the NATO SFA COE met with Lt Col Jahara MATISEK, associate Professor in the Department of Military and Strategic Studies and member of the US Department of Defence Minerva project, who co-authored the  1st Chapter titled a Practical Guide for Advisors in Fragile States: Peacebuilding Approaches for SFA Programming  of the publication on “Promoting the Rule of Law and Good Governance – SFA implications in international initiatives".

A NATO SFA COE representative (the Analysis and Lessons Learned Branch) joined the Lessons Learned Workshop organized by NATO Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence, held in Bled, Slovenia from 22nd to 25th November 2021.

NATO SFA COE representatives (the Director, Education and Training, Analysis and Lessons Learned Branches) joined the 6th Annual Discipline Conference within the Military Contribution to Peace Support (MC2PS).

NATO SFA COE personnel attended the International Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) Virtual Conference from the 25th to the 28th of October.