PFULLENDORF, Germany (Feb. 29, 2016) -- As the snow fell silently on the trees in the Dino Hausen Training Area, NATO's senior officer watched intently as the men took aim time and again, first gaining fire superiority, and then when safe, grabbing their bleeding comrade and moving to a nearby building.
Safely inside, a Dutch elite soldier calmly applied a tourniquet and administered intravenous pain medications to a screaming Italian special forces comrade who was writhing in pain from a gunshot wound that shattered his lower leg. As the medication slowly took effect, a Belgian paracommando assisted his Dutch teammate in cutting off the Italian's pants while working to keep him calm and warm.
Despite his screams, the two uninjured Allies began treating the wound and preparing their friend for the medical evacuation helicopter. The men then struggled to carry their gear and their friend up a nearby snowy slope, gingerly placing the stretcher down at the summit.
Soon, they were joined by their Turkish special forces teammate, who had been providing security. The three then took turns preparing both the patient and the landing zone.
With no end to the pain and no helicopter in sight due to the snowy conditions, a German paramedic stepped from the shadows. She tells the three operators to take a break, reset their equipment, swap positions and prepare for the next enemy attack.
The International Special Forces Training Centre (ISTC) welcomed Gen. Petr Pavel, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, to Staufer Kaserne, here, where he observed training scenarios like the one above during his visit, Feb. 25.
As the chairman, Pavel is responsible for ensuring that the 28 chiefs of defense (CHOD) and their military representatives in Brussels achieve consensus and provide military advice to the NATO secretary general and other political leaders. Pavel is the former Czech Republic CHOD and was elected by the other NATO CHODs in 2015. He is the first eastern European CHOD to serve as the chairman of the NATO Military Committee and is a career special forces officer who has commanded at all levels of the Czech military.
Lt. Col. Matthew D. Coburn, commander of ISTC, and Brig. Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command, showed ISTC's training capabilities to NATO's senior military officer.
During the visit, Cavoli explained that ISTC is providing an invaluable service to NATO member nations and partners via demanding, realistic and unique tactical-level training.
ISTC provides special operations forces with tactical- and operational-level training to increase integration and interoperability among the nine signatory nations, NATO Allies and partner nations. ISTC member nations include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the U.S.
Pavel thanked the ISTC leadership and cadre for their consistently superior efforts to ensure professional, interoperable training; the collation of lessons learned on the battlefield in service to the Alliance; and the detailed and realistic training he observed during the Advanced Medical First Responder and the Conduct After Capture courses.
"Observing the ISTC courses in session was a true indicator of the willingness of special operations professionals in the Alliance to accomplish any mission," Pavel said.
Pavel reiterated his convictions to the officers and noncommissioned officers charged with ensuring that NATO's elite troops know how to work together to thwart captors' aims and return with dignity.
"What you're doing here is crucial to 'Smart Defence;' allowing nine framework nations to share techniques and costs amongst your nine nations and other allies and partners," he said.
He added that he was proud of them and their nations for their efforts to accomplish missions and tasks that often go unnoticed.
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