Introduction to the NATO Modular Approach to StratCom Education and Training
Effective Strategic Communications (StratCom) requires trained and experienced communications practitioners. Through ASCP-01: NATO StratCom Training Standards, NATO Allies have agreed to a minimum level of StratCom proficiency for all personnel assigned to Flag & General Officers (FOGO), OF-5 and J10 StratCom positions . These levels of proficiency are designed to ensure Allies have the capabilities to address to hybrid and non-linear threats (to which Nations themselves are the first responder), and to conduct military operations and activities in peacetime, crisis, and conflict; nationally or as part of an Alliance response.
ASCP-01 defines a number of cross-cutting Core Competency Areas (CCA) for the StratCom disciplines
(encompassing Strategic Communications, Information Operations, Military Public Affairs, and Psychological Operations) and defines the minimum Core Competency Requirements (CCR) for each area. It also sets out the key roles and responsibilities for NATO StratCom Education & Training (E&T), and provides advice to Allies on ways to adapt and develop their national training programmes to better support interoperability. The StratCom CCAs defined in ASCP-01 are reproduced on page 7.
ACO Directive 95-2: Strategic Communications provides SACEUR’s direction for the inclusion of the StratCom competency requirements set out in ASCP-01 – and their relevant education and training solutions – to be included in all ACO job descriptions. This covers all FOGO and OF-5 positions, as well as those within J10 Strategic Communications.
NATO’s Global Programming approach to education and training assigns responsibilities for the development of education and training solutions as follows:
Requirements Authority
The Requirements Authority (RA) is appointed by SACEUR and is responsible for defining the performance requirements for individuals assigned to NATO positions.
The RA for the StratCom discipline is SHAPE Director of Communications
Department Head
The Department Head (DH) is appointed by SACT and is responsible for defining the education and training solutions needed to support the performance requirements, and for sourcing and approving education and training solutions.
The DH for the StratCom discipline is the NATO StratCom Centre of Excellence.
Education & Training Facilities
NATO training solutions are delivered by individual education and training facilities. Recognised training solutions are entered into NATO’s e-ITEP course catalogue.
The StratCom Academy is a NATO-recognised ETF for the StratCom discipline.
NATO CORE COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
Allies agreed – through ASCP-01 – that NATO StratCom E&T requirements fall into two categories: E&T solutions for NATO BASIC requirements (Annex E) are the responsibility of Allies; and E&T solutions for NATO ADVANCED requirements (Annex F) are the responsibility of NATO. We deliver modules that are specifically tailored to meet both NATO BASIC and NATO ADVANCED requirements and can all be found in this document and in the NATO e-ITEP course catalogue – https://e-itep.act.nato.int/
ASCP-01 and ACO-95-2 define the following Strategic Communications Core Competency Areas. The Core Competency Requirements are set out in ASCP-01 and the StratCom Training Requirements Assessment Review 2024.
Flag Officer/General Officer (FOGO). Applicable to all 1* and above officers assigned to NATO appointments: FOGO StratCom Seminar.
Non-StratCom Division/Branch Heads. Applicable to all personnel of OF-5 rank assigned to NATO appointments: Joint Staff StratCom Module.
StratCom Leadership and Management. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that include a responsibility to supervise others and/or a specified requirement to provide advice to commanders: StratCom Foundation Module; StratCom & Info Ops Planner’s Module.
Information Environment Assessment (IEA) Specialists. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within NATO StratCom disciplines that involve the analysis, monitoring and assessment of the IE: StratCom Foundation Module; Audience Research Module; IEA Monitoring and Analysis Module.
StratCom Planner. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that involve a requirement to develop contributions to written plans, the responsibility to understand, support and contribute to planning efforts at higher and/or lower levels, and/or the requirement to contribute to the Joint Effects or Joint Targeting processes: StratCom Foundation Module; StratCom & Info Ops Planner’s Module.
Media Operations Specialist. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines who are required to plan and/or engage, directly or indirectly, with the media: StratCom Foundation Module. MilPA Planners Module
Psychological Operations Specialist. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines who are required to plan and/or conduct PsyOps activities: StratCom Foundation Module.
Strategic Engagement Specialist. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that require them to plan and support interaction with external audiences/stakeholders by non-StratCom personnel: StratCom Foundation Module.
Digital Engagement Specialist. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that require them to engage and interact with external audiences/stakeholders through digital platforms: StratCom Foundation Module, Digital Engagement Module.
Internal Communications Specialist. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that require them to explain and promote the aims, objectives and role of any NATO military body to its personnel: StratCom Foundation Module.
Media Production Specialists. Applicable to all personnel assigned to positions within the NATO StratCom disciplines that require them to generate printed, audio and video products to support NATO communications activities: StratCom Foundation Module; Media Production Module.