From the 11th to the 15th of October, the second edition of the 2021 SFA Operator Course was held at the Air Force’s “Casa dell’Aviatore” in the centre of Rome, entirely organized by the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (NATO SFA COE).
The purpose of the course is to improve the competence and effectiveness of civilian and military personnel employed in various operational theatres as Advisors, Mentors and Trainers, using a global and integrated approach to support the local forces of an assisted nation.
The course began with a welcome address given by the Director of the NATO SFA COE, who remarked that the activities of Security Force Assistance are not limited to simply “training” the Local Forces but are part of a complex process aimed at establishing the conditions necessary to create a safe, lasting and stable environment in fragile States.
The course is preceded by a preliminary virtual study phase in the form of an “orientation to the SFA” session on the NATO online platform and is composed of a series of theoretical activities followed by practical ones to be able to immediately consolidate the acquired knowledge and put it into practice.
The activities of Roleplay and Team Building were particularly successful. During various practical exercises, the participants observed and analysed their emotional responses in dealing with unforeseen and unusual circumstances.
The role of the SFA Operator was examined from multiple points of view and at all levels, also through the presentation of three case studies by International Experts, based on their experiences gained directly in the field.
The SFA Operators Course is part of a broader training offer that, together with the Institutional Adviser Course, will allow the skills of SFA operators to be strengthened, increasing the effectiveness of their interventions worldwide.
