Visit by Lieutenant General John C. Thomson III, Commander of NATO Allied Land Command

On 10th of January 2019, the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) had the honour to host Lieutenant General John C. Thomson III, Commander of NATO Allied Land Command (LANDCOM). LTG Thomson was welcomed by Major General Andis Dilāns, Commandant of BALTDEFCOL, and members of the College Management Group.

After the office call between the leaders of the two organizations, the visit continued with a presentation on BALTDEFCOL’s core mission and tasks. In particular, LTG Thomson learned about the various courses and related activities conducted at the College. The multinationality of the College was recognized as a very important factor enabling learning from each other. The discussion allowed a better understanding of the College's educational focus. Furthermore, opportunities to cooperate within the respective areas of responsivities were discovered. LTG Thomson expressed an interest in the development of the Command Senior Enlisted Leaders Course as a valuable and required constituent of professional military education.

In the afternoon, BALTDEFCOL Faculty and students of the Higher Command Studies Course 2019 had a wonderful opportunity to listen to LTG Thomson’s lecture on “How Operational Commander Can Shape Strategic Environment in NATO”. It was followed by an active questions and answers session related to his experienceas a commanding officer. The follow-on discussion covered many aspects of the European and regional security challenges.