ARRC JOURNAL
The easy solution is to assume that
any defence engagement activity is not
measurable, which causes complacency
and, ultimately, ignoring the work to be
post-visit. Indeed this is not the case.
The UK’s Defence Engagement Strategy
has a clear direction, but the importance
of STRATCOM in the military land
component is only part of the solution. As
modern warfare experiments with non-
lethal effects, such as applying targeted,
carefully planned, followed-up key leader
defence engagement activity, we must all
be familiar with the process and benefits
of building relationships and follow-up
activity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Figure 1
As indicated by Figure 1, a visitor can be
assessed at any of the entrance levels
along the top. The desired outcome,
therefore, would be to influence the visit
in such a way that visitor becomes more
informed from a level of awareness on
the route to providing action in some
way beneficial for the ARRC. Using this
method would ‘sweat the asset’ of the
visit, enhancing reason and message
delivery that achieves the visitor’s initial
desire to do business with the ARRC
as a valued addition to their network.
This process will dramatically increase
the likelihood of influencing a visitor in
becoming an effective key leader.
Additionally, a cross section and varied
list of visitors must be targeted. Senior
representatives from organisations such
as the Department for International
Development, the UK Cabinet, members
of the UN, the Red Cross and the EU
should all be desired and sought after
visitors in addition to our own NATO
senior officers, especially in the transition
back to a tactical corps headquarters.
The ARRC requires partnerships with a
non-exhaustive list of these organisations
in order to open doors for business in
the future. The ARRC will want to be
the military partner of choice for such
organisations to achieve strategic,
operational and tactical gains for NATO.
Finally, the JVB is placed within the
ARRC’s Central Staffs branch. However,
the follow up process involves working
closely with the STRATCOM cell and
Public Affairs Office, and an input into
the IAWG is necessary at the very least.
The JVB therefore needs to develop
a close working relationship with the
ARRC’s Joint Fires and Influence Branch
(JFIB). In order to be as effective as our
adversaries, we need to focus on the
aftermath of the visit as much as the
preparation of the visit itself, which brings
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ALLIED RAPID REACTION CORPS
us back to the original point: If there is
no action after a meeting, what is the
purpose of the meeting? Although this
is a cross-branch activity, the JVB have
a place within JFIB in order to efficiently
communicate the information and idea
of conveying the relevant message from
each visit, by coordinating the message
and ensuring it reaches its target to
maximise effect.
Conclusion
“Contacts with VIPs and decision
makers provide COM JTFHQ/COS
JTFHQ with an opportunity to deliver
key messages. For that reason, visits
to the JTFHQ are important influence
opportunities”
JTFHQ SOP for JVB
Key leader targeting in terms of soft
effects is prioritised. In order to measure
these effects, guidelines are there to be
followed in the STRATCOM directive.
Major Paul Collis-Smith is a 28-year
veteran of the British Army’s Corps of
Army Music and currently serves as the
team lead for the ARRC’s Joint Visits
Bureau. In his previous assignment he
served as the Director of Music and
Commander of The Band of the Prince
of Wales’s Division for the 160th Infantry
Brigade in St. Athan, Wales. Maj. Collis-
Smith has taken part in operations across
an array of defence engagement and
welfare roles in Afghanistan, Georgia
and the Balkans, including Operation
GRAPPLE 1 in Bosnia Herzegovina. A
native of Nantwich, Cheshire, England,
Maj. Collis-Smith holds a Master’s
Degree in Business Administration from
Northampton University.