Category: NATO

The origins of a combat sports champion

“I embarked on this journey when I was eight,” says Martina. “As a child, I was bullied at school. To break that cycle, after discussions with my parents, I decided to sign up for a sports class that consisted of different physical activities with elements of combat. Furthermore, my dad himself started training me in wrestling and self-defence. He was expecting that I would switch to a more ‘girly’ sport later, but when he saw how much I enjoyed it, he started supporting me fully.” From then on, things took a quick turn. Martina joined a martial arts club and started practising two types of combat sports: hand-to-hand combat and kickboxing. She took part in official kickboxing competitions and brought home her first trophies by the age of 14.

Martina is still active in the fighting arena and on top of that, she leads combat sports classes for her students. As she explains, combat sports have always appealed to her because they allow her to use all of her strengths. “I’m fast, strong and not afraid. I enjoy fighting, working hard and pushing the boundaries, especially when someone says something cannot be done. What helps me persist are three words that I repeat before every fight: faith, courage, victory. Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid and succeed.”

Fight like a girl: training NATO troops in Jordan

Martina’s work with NATO started six years ago. Through the Czech Army, she began cooperating with the Alliance on small diplomatic and combat training tasks, growing into a full-fledged collaboration by instructing NATO troops in hand-to-hand combat during training sessions and even missions. Additionally, Martina has trained soldiers at King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan – an international counter-terrorism, special operations and hybrid warfare tactics centre.

“This centre is simply unique. The training ground includes special firing ranges, a full-fledged training aircraft, abseiling and climbing towers, and sophisticated infrastructure. It is like a small city, suitable for training in various situations and troops from all over the world use it. When you enter it, it makes you feel like you are on a set of an action movie: noises, shooting and screaming everywhere. For an untrained individual, it could cause quite a bit of panic.”

The training she conducted focused on different areas, such as border protection or improving skills in the combat space. “You can never prepare for those scenarios, every day is different and there is no stopping. Moreover, the weather conditions take it out of you. The air there is incredibly heavy and hot, and the mountainous terrain makes the training even harder.”

Despite the challenging conditions, Martina remembers her time in Jordan with fondness – this is where she won a nomination for the elite world championship in appreciation of her hard work at the centre and also her previous fight results. “I am glad to have left a Czech girl’s mark at the training centre and obtained respect of the troops and my colleagues,” she explains. “And above everything, I am proud of myself because I never got anything for free and had to earn everything, including my place there.”

Martina acknowledges that her beginnings as a young woman conducting combat training were not easy. “The first time I taught a combat class, I came into the room and everyone kept waiting for the trainer, the leader. They could not connect the dots that I was the coach. I really had to prove myself to be accepted and respected as a female trainer. These days, it does not throw me off anymore, but it proves a point: things are more difficult for me as a girl in this field. I do not know any women working in my area.”

From battlegroups to boardrooms: bridging the two sides of NATO

For Martina, cooperation with NATO goes beyond combat training. As a graduate in international affairs, she is also close to the Alliance’s political dimension: she has attended several NATO summits as a Czech goodwill ambassador and a youth sports ambassador and in 2023, she was one of the speakers at the NATO Youth Summit in Brussels. “The atmosphere at the event was fantastic and I was proud to receive positive feedback for my speech. When they praise you and you get to meet somebody like the NATO Secretary General, you cannot be happier.”

When working with others for the Alliance, be it soldiers, fellow instructors or NATO civilian staff, what Martina enjoys the most is their enthusiasm and dedication to NATO’s values. “Every task I have worked on, from training to political events, has impacted me deeply. I got to meet people from all over the world with various experiences, habits, daily routines and cultural backgrounds, and had a chance to create bonds with them, confiding and learning from each other.”

What would Martina’s advice be for staying resilient and fighting for one’s goals?

“Realise why you started. Everybody wants results, but only a few are willing to strive for them. It is important to remain determined, do not let anybody break you. I always say that the sky is the limit for my goals and plans. My dad has been an excellent school in that regard – he taught me that no matter what happens, I should just take a deep breath, wait ten minutes and try again. I sometimes joke that those who have not gotten to know my dad do not know what life is. However, we should not forget that we do not always have to be machines and that failing is part of the journey.”

After a welcome by Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Chris Cavoli, the Military Representatives received an introduction to the ongoing exercise STEADFAST JUPITER 23, a command and control exercise, designed to rehearse and challenge NATO’s enhanced plan for Deterrence and Defence, bolstering allied interoperability across 24 headquarters, from strategic to the tactical levels of warfighting.  General Cavoli highlighted that STEADFAST JUPITER 2023 is the first exercise, where the training audience is utilising the concept for Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA) Family of Plans to validate processes and procedures across the ACO community and SHAPE’s adaptation to a strategic warfighting headquarters.

Following the Vilnius Summit and the decisions to further strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture, SHAPE is taking a more holistic approach by implementing the DDA across all domains. As such, SHAPE is adapting its role, tasks and responsibilities to optimise its capacity to operate as NATO’s strategic warfighting headquarters. The ongoing changes will allow it to incorporate all the tools of the Alliance to deter, and if needed, defeat any adversaries, for 24 hours a day in continuous and contested environments.

Admiral Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, highlighted that “these changes are essential to our Alliance, especially as NATO is transitioning from an era of crisis management to a new era of collective defence. We have a responsibility to keep our territory and our 1 billion people safe, but that means adapting and evolving to respond to current and growing threats”.

These deployments are a prudent step to ensure KFOR has the forces it needs to fulfil its UN mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo. They are based on a request by NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe and were approved by Allies in the North Atlantic Council.

NATO has been leading a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since 1999 in accordance with its mandate under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. KFOR currently consists of well over 4,500 troops contributed by 27 NATO Allies and partners.

Lieutenant General Adamczak started his visit to Uzbekistan by meeting the Deputy Minister of Defence for Educational and Ideological Affairs, Major General Hamdam Karshiev. Lieutenant General Adamczak noted, “NATO remains committed to maintaining robust political dialogue and practical cooperation with Uzbekistan. This partnership is vital to promoting security and stability in the region, and highlights our commitment to addressing common challenges as well as fostering positive developments in the Central Asia region.”

At the Academy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Director General gave a lecture on NATO’s global outreach and cooperative frameworks, commending Uzbekistan for seeing the value of working together since the 1990s to tackle common challenges, protect our shared security and common values.

Travelling to the outskirts of the capital, Lieutenant General Adamczak and his delegation were able to visit the “Chimyon” Mountain Training Centre, one of the Uzbekistan’s five mountain training facilities. While touring the training facilities, the Commander briefed the group on the centre’s main tasks and responsibilities, including specialised training of Ministry of Defence units, up to 300 military personnel, through a variety of courses over a year-long period. 

The visit to the Uzbek Armed Forces Partnership for Peace Training Centre further displayed Uzbekistan’s ongoing engagement through NATO’s Partnership for Peace initiative. Lieutenant General Adamczak underscored the benefits of partnerships and working together on common challenges, shared security interests, and regional stability amidst a complex global security landscape.

The event featured different race categories – including an 8 km individual run, a relay for teams of four and a fun run for children – accommodating runners of all fitness levels. Clapping and cheering, spectators encouraged runners along the route, which passed beneath the Allied flags in front of NATO HQ.

Admiral Rob Bauer, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, joined fellow NATO officials in the race, as part of a relay team called “Easier said than Run”. 

Opening the event, Admiral Bauer noted that, “Run for All is a trailblazing initiative that helps celebrate our differences and recognise the beautiful mosaic that is NATO, as well as reinforce the ties between our nations, our people and within our community. Every day at this HQ, 31 (soon 32) nations work to turn our differences into our greatest strength – ultimately, choosing to put the ’we’ above the ’me’. This event is a powerful statement about our common commitment to diversity and inclusion. Meaningful change will take time. But the good thing is: we don’t have to do it alone. The fact that so many people showed up today proves that.”

More than 150 people participated in the event. As runners crossed the finish line, they were not just celebrating their personal achievements but also the collective strength of a united NATO. The run reinforced the idea that diversity is a source of unity and strength for the Alliance. 

“Diversity brings an additional richness of perspectives,” explained one runner. “It not only makes NATO a more enjoyable place to work, but as an institution it also allows us to make better policy.” 

Another runner echoed the same point, reflecting on the scale of NATO’s impact on its diverse citizens and societies: “When we’re dealing with issues where the security of one billion people is at stake, we need as many diverse perspectives as possible so that we can make good decisions.”

Throughout the event, attendees were asked to share their personal pledges to support diversity, emphasising that it is everyone’s responsibility to build a more inclusive environment together. Written on posters, some of the messages included:

“Diversity makes NATO stronger. Inclusion makes NATO a community.”

“I pledge to contribute to a world where we all feel free to be who we are without prejudice and discrimination.”

“INCLUDE EVERYONE”

The NATO Run for All was organised by NATO’s three Staff Resource Groups: Elevate Diversity, Proud@NATO and Working Parents. The three groups decided to host the event together to demonstrate the value of collective action across the NATO community. 

“By participating side by side, we break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and foster a culture of inclusivity,” they explained. 

By signing up for the run, participants demonstrated their commitment to diversity and celebrated the wide range of people that make up this multinational and multicultural Alliance.

As one runner put it at the finish line: “Diversity is more than just accepting everyone’s differences – it’s welcoming those differences and recognising their value for everyone.”

Opening the conference, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană noted that the application of a strong gender focus is fundamental for our security, noting that “we face many threats and challenges, which all have a gender dimension”.  He underscored that “those wearing uniform play an essential role in our security and what they do and say matters, and that integrating a gender perspective makes our military more credible, more effective, and stronger”.

Participants were also welcomed, via video message, by Ms. Irene Fellin, the Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security (WPS), where she addressed the four priority work strands ahead of the Washington Summit, next year.  The focus will be on NATO’s “direction” on integrating WPS and Human Security into its core tasks; “dialogue” that places a greater emphasis on NATO engagement with diverse actors including civil society and youth  and “disruption” to recognize the multiplying and increasingly complex nature of conflict and instability and the need for NATO to adapt and draw from new perspectives.  The final priority focused on the role of the Alliance in advancing the WPS Agenda through the review and update to its WPS policy.

The first panel featured the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Admiral Sir Keith Blount, the Canadian Military Representative to NATO, Vice Admiral Scott Bishop, the former US Military Representative to NATO, Lieutenant General (retired) E. John Deedrick, and NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Mrs Carmen Romero.  The speakers focussed on the next steps for the Gender Perspective in the aftermath of the Vilnius Summit.  This high-level panel centred on key ways NATO’s leadership were conducting gender analysis to ensure operations and missions take into account the gender perspective, and how to increase the knowledge of NATO amongst women. Furthermore, they discussed that diverse perspectives provide better operational outcomes and situational awareness. 

The second panel titled “Gender Analysis on the Ukraine Conflict” highlighted how women and children are disproportionately affected by the war in Ukraine. The panellists included Dr Larysa Kompantseva, the Head of the Department of Strategic Communications and Applied Linguistics at the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine, Captain Matthew Stoner, Police Training Advisor to the Canadian Police Mission in Ukraine, and Ms Cori Fleser, Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. They discussed Russia’s use of disinformation in the Ukrainian conflict, the main lines of work that Gender Advisors (GENADs) can conduct while coordinating with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the use of gender-based information in the conflict, noting how this has shaped decision-making and driven security assistance to Ukraine. Additionally, they highlighted that when military operators interact with civilians, the civilians will experience conflict in different ways based on their own experiences, which should be reflected in a gender analysis with an intersectional approach, other factors, such as age.

The conference then moved to annual updates by the NATO Gender Community of Interest:  Lieutenant Colonel Katherine Prudhoe for the NATO International Military Staff (IMS), Lieutenant Colonel Sheri Lattemore for Allied Command Operations (ACO), and Major Lauranne Bureau for Allied Command Transformation (ACT), and Lieutenant Colonel (PhD) Lena P. Kvarving for the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM).  These included discussions on updating the NCGP and IMS GENAD terms of reference, doctrine development and the attribution of Centre of Excellence status to the NCGM following the Swedish accession.

The third panel “Conducting Internal Analysis” targeted how different international organisations were carrying out gender analysis.  Ms Apollina Kyle and Ms Patricia Nguyen from the NATO IMS GENAD Office presented the Summary of National Reports, the analysis of NATO’s largest compilation of gender statistics.  They shared the findings of the 2020 Summary of National Reports to the NCGP and discussed how the methodology has been simplified and streamlined.  Ms Terhi Lehtinen, the Head of Division Horizontal Coordination at the EUMS, examined how to better integrate gender analysis and gender equality systematically into conflict analysis to improve the gender responsiveness of the EU’s external actions, including in the Gender Action Plan (GAP III) for 2020 to 2024 and the Operational Guidance on Gender Mainstreaming to the Military Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) 2022. Lastly, Mr Martin Dexborg, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Advisor on Gender Issues, explained the three pillars of their action plan, which includes internal, external programmes, and support to its members. He discussed the OSCE’s Annual Progress Report, which is developed into analytical documents with aims and strategies that last 2-3 years and displays concrete actions in recruitment, both with a focus across the organisation and to the differences among units, to improve reporting and both staff and management awareness.

The day concluded with an update from Lieutenant Colonel Jane Male, Chair of the NCGP Executive Committee and Lieutenant Colonel Françoise Verbanck, Deputy Chair of the NCGP Executive Committee.

The second day of the conference was opened by the US Delegate, Dr Deborah Ozga, who kicked off exchanges on the implementation of the gender analysis from various experts on gender analysis tools.  Dr Louise Olsson from the Peace Research Institute of Oslo presented the Olsson Matrix on Gender in Military Operations and Major Wilco van den Berg from the NCGM to examine their Military Gender Analysis Tool.

During the second panel, representatives from France, Portugal and the United States debated the lessons learned on Gender Needs Analysis.  Ms Inka Lilja and Ms Karin Carlsson from Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) explored the Elise Initiative which looks at enhancing women’s meaningful participation in peacekeeping activities.  Dr Alan Okros discussed the findings of a NATO Research Task Group that looked at how to successfully integrate gender and cultural perspectives in senior officer professional military education programmes.

Finally, Major Lauranne Bureau and Ms Megan Huber from the ACT GENAD Office shared initial findings on the AzuirtOwl innovation project to create a more effective and efficient gender analysis tool to directly support the planning and conduct of operations. 

The final day centred on closed sessions where Allied Nations discussed the way ahead for the NCGP and discussed recommendations to the NATO Military Committee.

Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Secretary Austin for the United States’ strong leadership on key issues, including support to Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, NATO deterrence and defence, and NATO operations and missions. 

Speaking after the first NATO-Ukraine Council at ministerial level, Mr Stoltenberg said NATO would provide more cold weather clothing, demining capabilities, fuel, and medical equipment “to help Ukraine weather another difficult winter.” Allies discussed Ukraine’s priorities on its path to NATO membership, including long-term interoperability with NATO and defence procurement.

Summing up the outcomes of a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a group of over 50 countries that support Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed announcements by Allies to provide further aid to Ukraine, including F-16 jets and training, as well as air defences, ammunition, and demining equipment. 

“Your fight is our fight, your security is our security and your values are our values” Mr Stoltenberg said alongside President Zelenskyy this morning, adding that “we will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.” This was President Zelenskyy’s first visit to NATO headquarters since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

On the sidelines of the Ministerial, Defence Ministers from ten Allied countries signed an agreement that will build the legal framework for any future air defence purchases under the Sky Shield Initiative.

On Thursday (12 October 2023), NATO defence ministers will discuss strengthening the Alliance’s deterrence and defence, military operations in Iraq and Kosovo, and the situation in the Middle East, with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant set to join via videoconference. Ministers will also discuss damage to critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. If the damage to an undersea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable between Estonia and Finland is proven to be the result of a deliberate attack “it will be met by a united and determined response,” the Secretary General said.

“European Sky Shield Initiative, under Germany’s leadership, shows the value of Allies stepping up to meet NATO’s requirements, while ensuring interoperability and integration,” said NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană. He added: “This initiative therefore, helps translate Allied commitments on defence spending into tangible capabilities available for our collective defence. It demonstrates the clear commitment of European Allies to fair burden sharing as well.”

The European Sky Shield Initiative enables participating nations to jointly procure an air and missile defence system in an efficient and cost-effective way using interoperable, off-the-shelf solutions. This multinational approach offers a flexible and scalable way for nations to strengthen their deterrence and defence. 

The 10 NATO Allies participating in the initiative are: Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Slovenia.

The Secretary General told President Zelenskyy that “your fight is our fight, your security is our security, and your values are our values. And we will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes”. He indicated that “we will further strengthen our relationship and help Ukraine move towards NATO membership”. Allied Defence Ministers will meet with their Ukrainian counterpart, Minister Umerov, in the NATO-Ukraine Council this afternoon to discuss the situation in Ukraine and NATO’s continued support. 

Tomorrow’s (Thursday 12 October 2023) discussions will focus on deterrence and defence. Ministers will take stock of the work underway to resource and exercise the robust defence plans that Allied leaders agreed at the Vilnius Summit. They will also address NATO’s missions and operations, including in Kosovo and in Iraq, and discuss the recent damage to undersea infrastructure between Estonia and Finland. Regarding this incident, the Secretary General said that “the important thing now is to establish what happened and how this could happen. If it is proven to be a deliberate attack on NATO critical infrastructure, then this will be of course serious, but it will also be met by a united and determined response from NATO”. 

Defence Ministers will also discuss the situation in the Middle East in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks by Hamas against NATO partner Israel. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will brief NATO Allies on Israel’s response.