Exercise UNPAMO
Last week we held our end exercise for the course. The exercise was designed to have us face as many different observer situations as possible in the short time given. This means compressing a whole mission period into one week. The exercise took place in the central part of the netherlands where all of the participants were divided over 3 team sites. Our task was to see that all of the warring factions- 4 in all- stuck to a ceasefire agreement. This means setting up patrols to monitor and observe and also getting in touch with the local warlords to negotiate infringements on the agreements. One of the most difficult aspects of being a neutral observer is the fact that you are not allowed to react to many situations and have to maintain a "distance". I can tell you that your fingers really start to itch from time to time and you get totally frustrated.
Apart from the interesting scenarios we faced it also gave us a great opportunity to get to know one another. Not unimportant considering you’ll be cooped up with some of the group for a good 4 months. I was stuck with Co, Edwin, Cas and Harry in Team Central. I must say I had a great time and couldn’t have hoped for a better bunch of teammates. A lot of laughs and open communication. One of the most hilarious moments was when a female role player left our site one evening and on the way out - seeing a fruit basket- said to our team leader, "Can I ask a brutal question... may I have a banana?". This is NOT something you should say in a room with 5 guys living under primitive circumstances. You can probably imagine we had the most difficult time to hold our laughter till she closed the door on the way out.
(role players take their jobs seriously)
("jarhead" Cas and Edwin in Team Centrals'
improvised command post)
Also kudos to our instructor team. It was one of the best organised exercises I’ve ever seen. Excellent role players - even an ex-Knesset bodyguard whom I owe a box of cigars - that made life miserable for all of us ;-)
I think I can speak for each and every one of the participants that we look to the upcoming mission with a lot more confidence than 3 weeks ago. Heck, some of us are even starting to look forward to it ....:-)
(Me talking with the Director of Operations
Maj-Gen Eikelboom(r))
Apart from the interesting scenarios we faced it also gave us a great opportunity to get to know one another. Not unimportant considering you’ll be cooped up with some of the group for a good 4 months. I was stuck with Co, Edwin, Cas and Harry in Team Central. I must say I had a great time and couldn’t have hoped for a better bunch of teammates. A lot of laughs and open communication. One of the most hilarious moments was when a female role player left our site one evening and on the way out - seeing a fruit basket- said to our team leader, "Can I ask a brutal question... may I have a banana?". This is NOT something you should say in a room with 5 guys living under primitive circumstances. You can probably imagine we had the most difficult time to hold our laughter till she closed the door on the way out.
(role players take their jobs seriously)
("jarhead" Cas and Edwin in Team Centrals'
improvised command post)
Also kudos to our instructor team. It was one of the best organised exercises I’ve ever seen. Excellent role players - even an ex-Knesset bodyguard whom I owe a box of cigars - that made life miserable for all of us ;-)
I think I can speak for each and every one of the participants that we look to the upcoming mission with a lot more confidence than 3 weeks ago. Heck, some of us are even starting to look forward to it ....:-)
(Me talking with the Director of Operations
Maj-Gen Eikelboom(r))
posted by Jan at Sunday, January 22, 2006
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