Vanguard Magazine

I IntervIew 14 APRIL/MAY 2016 www.vanguardcanada.com m ilitary operations today are rarely conducted within the confines of a war zone are described in the tradi- tional sense of the term. Instead, troops often find themselves deployed in that "ambiguous space between war and peace," according to the Kingston Conference on International Security (KCIS). Engagement Between War and Peace, the organization's lat- est conference, tackles the challenges and issues raised by rapidly changing conflict dynamics which today's soldiers and military in- stitutions have to adapt to. The event will be held from June 13th to the 15th at the Marriott Residence Inn, in Kingston Water's Edge, Kingston, Ont. Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of defence staff, will deliver the key- note talk. Other featured speakers include, Maj. Gen. Jean Marc- Lanthier, commander of Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre, and other ranking officers from the Canadian and United States armed forces, as well as panelists made up of experts from various sectors such as the academe, government and non-gov- ernment organizations from around the world. "The Canadian military had a long-term commitment in Af- ghanistan, now we're at a point where we're still preparing for 'something' while contributing our forces in conflict areas," ac- cording to Lt. Col. Alain Carrier, chief of curriculum develop- ment, with the Canadian Army. "However, more often, we now see soldiers being deployed in 'gray zone' where there are no clear-cut declarations of war but there are armed confrontations. In such a scenario, troops find themselves in a situation that is not often tactical but rather strategic and political "but at the operational level," Carrier said. The panelists and speakers will attempt to find answers to such questions as: • How can Canada prepare its armed forces to achieve policy ob- jectives in the space between peace and war? • What cultural awareness and human interactive skill will en- hance the military's ability to conduct operations at the lower end of the spectrum of conflicts? • What are the defence policy, training and doctrinal implications of this new reality? The conference will also deal with the topic of conflict actors that employ "hybrid warfare" tactics as they challenge Canada, the United States and their allies in these so-called gray zones. Carrier said security assessment, soldier competencies, profes- sional military education, institutional adaption and capabilities will also be discussed. He said the conference is a must-attend for high ranking mili- tary officials as well a civilian officials who deal significantly with the military whether inside Canada or overseas. Carrier highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the event's speakers and panelists. For example, Panel 1: The Evolving Security Environment: Threats and Strategies, is chaired by Dr. Alex Wilner, assistant professor of international relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Carleton University. Panelists, include: Andrew Carswell, senior delegate to Canada for the International Committee of the Red Cross; Alermo Re- tief, of Rio Tinto; Prof. Bert Tussing, director of homeland de- fence and security issues at the Centre for Strategic Leadership, Army War College; and Diego Ruiz-Palmer special adviser to the NATO Secretary General for economics and security assessment. The other panels will discuss the following: Panel 2: The Evolving Security Environment: A military view. This panel will provide a military perspective of security trends and emerging threats during different stages of conflict. It will also provide corresponding strategies. Panel 3: The Soldier: Defining and generating competencies. This panel identifies the skills and levels of awareness for success and examines how the armed forces can support key competencies throughout the soldiering life-cycle. Pane 4: Educating for the Unknown. This panel investigates educational strategies and teaching methods for professional de- velopment in the armed forces. "I believe attendees will learn a lot and benefit from the diver- sity of perspectives that will be presented on the floor," according to Carrier. "The discussions will provide critical points for poten- tial future policies." Preparing soldiers to operate in the 'gray zone' KCIS 2016: A Canadian Forces soldier from A Company, 1 Platoon, 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry surveys the perimeter within the Zjarey district, west of Kandahar (Photo by MCpl Robert Bottrill, Canadian Forces Combat Camera).

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