SHIRBRIG support CIMIC training and exercise in Kenya

By SFC Benjamin KLINT

IPSTC logo

In spring 2009 from 20 April to 1 May SHIRBRIG assisted IPSTC (The International Peacekeeping Support Training Center) in Kenya with the following staff members:

·         Lieutenant Colonel Conny HOLSTÖM, G2 (Sweden)

·         Lieutenant Colonel Sergio TAMAI, G3 (Italy)

·         Lieutenant Colonel José Pardo De SANTAYANA, G5 (Spain), delegation leader

·         Lieutenant Colonel Jacek DOLGAN, G6 (Poland)

·         Major Nol Van KEMENADE, G3 Training Officer (The Netherlands)

·         Major Martin HEINRICH, non-permanent Project Officer (Austria)

·         Sergeant 1st Class Benjamin KLINT, CC Personnel (Denmark)

·         Sergeant 1st Class Jakob SVANEBERG, G6 SNCO (Denmark)

SHIRBRIG CIMIC-team

At the IPSTC SHIRBRIG presented a CIMIC Database named CIMIS, that was tailored to manage all the CIMIC information that’s available in a mission area. When uploaded to a network it allowed all decision takers and all who work with CIMIC in the area to search and update information in the database.

In the first week Lieutenant Colonel José Pardo De SANTAYANA was in charge of the course and Lieutenant Colonel Sergio TAMAI was attending the course together with military and civilian students from Eastern Africa Brigade (EASBRIG), Kenya International Red Cross and United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).

Students at IPSTC

During this first week the rest of the SHIRBRIG delegation was preparing for the CIMIC exercise planned to take place the following week.

In the weekend all the CIMIC students went to a local Kenyan village to make a village assessment, in order to prepare them better for the exercise in week 2.

Monday in the second week SHIRBRIG trained all the students in using a Microsoft Access database and then afterwards a short rehearsal of the first day of the exercise. Tuesday the exercise began and went pretty smoothly due to the previous rehearsal.  The exercise then went for two more days without problems, despite the fact that half of the SHIRBRIG staff was injured or sick with diarrhea. So it is safe to say, that SHIRBRIG really lived up to the motto: “Rapid, Flexible and Prepared” since the available SHIRBRIG staff members took over the tasks for the sick and injured and successfully completed the exercise.

Major Heinrich teaching 

COMSHIRBRIG, Major General Kurt MOSGAARD (Denmark) and COSSHIRBRIG, Colonel Christof TATSCHL (Austia) both visited the training and the exercise. COMSHIRBRIG planted a tree - an African custom.

COMSHIRBRIG plants a tree

The last day of the event - Friday - was used as a debriefing day where the conclusion that Exercise Director Major General Simon MOLUNGU, IPSTC, the SHIRBRIG delegation and all the students was satisfied with the CIMIC database and the setup for the course and the exercise.