U.S. Army Garrison Benelux leaders pose for a group photograph at the flags of NATO and its 30 member countries. USAG Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Benelux Public Affairs)

Heidi Evans, deputy political counselor at NATO, talks about her work at the international organization for visitors from U.S. Army Garrison Benelux. USAG Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Benelux Public Affairs)

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. James E. Smith, deputy military representative to NATO, talks to U.S. Army Garrison Benelux leadership at NATO. USAG Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Benelux Public Affairs)

Col. James Yastrzemsky, center right, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, shakes hands with David Helvey, acting senior civilian representative of the Secretary of Defense in Europe and acting defense advisor at NATO. USAG Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Benelux Public Affairs)

Richard Holtzapple, deputy U.S. permanent representative to NATO, talks with members of U.S. Army Garrison Benelux leadership. USAG Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Bryan Gatchell, USAG Benelux Public Affairs)

ZAVENTEM, Belgium – U.S. Army Garrison Benelux leaders visited the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters in Brussels Feb. 3, 2022.

The event, part of the garrison’s leadership development, brought team members from across the garrison’s main communities in Belgium and the Netherlands to hear from U.S. leadership at NATO.

The speakers were David Helvey, acting senior civilian representative of the Secretary of Defense in Europe and acting defense advisor, U.S. Mission to NATO; U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. James E. Smith, deputy military representative to NATO; Heidi Evans, deputy political counselor; Richard Holtzapple, deputy U.S. permanent representative to NATO; and Retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Philippe Rogers, director of Defense Operations.

USAG Benelux, once known as NATO/SHAPE Support Group and NATO Support Activity, continues to provide support services to U.S. and other members of NATO as part of its mission. The NATO speakers, therefore, elucidated the complex organizational structure of NATO, the processes by which they come to decisions and more. Multiple speakers brought up the value of NATO’s core tasks, which they called the three Cs: Collective defense, Crisis management and Cooperative security.

A few of the speakers also thanked the leadership for the service and support the garrison provides NATO members.

“The services you provide not only stock our shelves,” said Evans during her remarks, “they provide a sense of community.”

Chanda Russell, the director of Human Resources for the garrison, recently joined the garrison team, and this was her first time visiting NATO headquarters. She was impressed by the event, the briefings, the speakers, the professionalism of everyone involved, and by the building itself, which the group received a brief tour of.

“Almost every briefer talked about the three Cs, and that’s something we all need to pay attention to,” said Russell.

Before the garrison leaders left, they thanked the event organizers, and the group took group photos at NATO’s 9/11 memorial and the flags of NATO and the 30 member countries.

To learn more about NATO, visit https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/index.htm.