Home  /  Media Center  /  News  /  2021  /  NATO ALLIED LAND COMMAND (LANDCOM) DEPLOYED AN ADVISORY TEAM TO MEET WITH SERBIAN ARMED FORCES (SAF) IN VRANJE, SERBIA

IZMIR, Turkey – NATO’s Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) deployed an advisory team from May 10-14, 2021 to meet with Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) in Vranje, Serbia to conduct training and consultation within the framework of the Operations Capability Concept Evaluation and Feedack (OOC E&F) Program.

Serbia has been engaged for several years to prepare SAF for potentially upcoming operations abroad as an operational partner.

The advisory team was led by German Army Lieutenant Colonel Holger Bernard, LANDCOM Engineers Division, and supported by experts from Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP). They met SAF representatives and advised them on the five evaluations planned for their forces in Autumn 2021.

All units are part of the 3rd Serbian Army Brigade. They will be evaluated during an exercise in October this year.

The Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Programme (OCC E&F) is used to develop and train partner land, maritime, air or Special Operations Forces that seek to meet NATO standards. This rigorous process can take years, but it ensures partner forces are ready to work with Allied forces once deployed. Some partners also use the OCC as a strategic tool to transform their defence forces. The OCC has contributed significantly to the increasing number of partner forces participating in NATO-led operations and the NATO Response Force.

For more on the OCC E&F, visit https://lc.nato.int/operations/military-partnership/the-partnership-for-peace/occ-ef.