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Home  /   News  /  2023  /  NCISG COMMANDER VISITS 1ST NATO SIGNAL BATTALION (1NSB) DEPLOYABLE CIS MODULE D (DCM-D)

Jan 30 2023

NCISG COMMANDER VISITS 1ST NATO SIGNAL BATTALION (1NSB) DEPLOYABLE CIS MODULE D (DCM-D)

BLANDFORD, UK – Major General Frank SCHLÖSSER, Commander NATO CIS Group (NCISG) visited the 1st NATO Signal Battalion (1NSB) Deployable CIS Module D (DCM-D) on 10 January 2023 to get familiarized with the process of deploying the DCM-D on a recent operation. 

Major General SCHLÖSSER accompanied by Chief Master Sergeant Andreas MERZ, CSEL NCISG, and SHAPE ACOS J4, Brigadier General Carla HARDING were welcomed by the NCISG 1NSB Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Michael PAUL and the NCISG 1NSB DCM-D Commander Major Richard WALL.

The morning started with a back brief on the capabilities that the DCM-D is holding at readiness and the mechanism of maintaining this throughout the year. General Schlösser gave some clear guidance on the importance of readiness and General Harding clarified some of the most difficult J4 issues that the DCM-D had been working through. General Schlösser expressed his interest in the ways the DCM-D command team get feedback from their soldiers. The importance of open and honest communication within the DCM-D in order to foster an effective team was underlined.

The final briefing of the morning was delivered by Staff Sergeant (Yeoman of Signals) Aaron Griffiths, who covered a short notice deployment exercise being run at the time of the visit by the DCM-D. Using host nation and NATO J4 and J6 support, this involved sending teams from the UK to mainland Europe via road and from the Air Mounting Centre in the UK to various locations. This challenging training event was designed to prove that DCM-D has the ability to deploy in line with General Schlösser’s orders.

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Visit 1NSB DCM-D, 10 January 2023, on the left: Major General Frank Schlösser, COM NCISG; Chief Master Sergeant Andreas MERZ, CSEL NCISG; on the right: Staff Sergeant Andy Bryant, NCISG 1NSB DCM-D.
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Award ceremony during the visit 1NSB DCM-D, 10 January 2023, on the left: Staff Sergeant Aaron Griffiths, NCISG 1NSB DCM-D; Major General Frank Schlösser, COM NCISG.
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  Visit 1NSB DCM-D, 10 January 2023, on the left: Corporal Rikesh Ghale, NCISG 1NSB                               DCM-D; on the right: Chief Master Sergeant Andreas MERZ, CSEL NCISG.  
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Award ceremony during the visit 1NSB DCM-D, 10 January 2023, on the left: Sergeant Lee Bruin, NCISG 1NSB DCM-D; Major General Frank Schlösser, COM NCISG.

Keen to meet the soldiers of DCM-D, General Schlösser was familiarised with the GBR primary and secondary weapons systems, as well as the equipment that is worn on deployment. There was some excellent discussion around ammunition interoperability and the differences between various nations’ weapons systems. Then, General Schlösser addressed the troops of DCM-D, speaking about the requirements for maintaining readiness, future operational deployment and his view on future commitments. There was also an opportunity for questions from the soldiers to General Schlösser. Soldiers asked some interesting and challenging questions about a range of subjects including medals and European security. General Schlösser and the CSEL awarded coins for individual excellence to a small number of the DCM-D staff members. 

Lunch in the Royal Corps of Signals Headquarters Officers’ Mess followed. The Corps Colonel Mark Brookes and the Corps Sergeant Major Paul Steel attended as the GBR Host Nation representatives. While comparing previous experiences it transpired that the Corps Sergeant Major and General Schlösser had abseiled from a helicopter into the same lake in Germany many years ago as part of an exercise.

A further meeting took place in the Mess to present a number of awards. Squadron Sergeant Major Ryan Roberts, in his role as the senior solider within the DCM received the DCM-D unit award, Sergeant Lee Bruin received an individual award for his outstanding performance over the year and Staff Sergeant Aaron Griffiths received a Master of Signals Commendation for his extraordinary contribution to supporting operations.

After the award ceremony, the group moved to the Royal Signals Museum where they were given a curator led tour of the key exhibits. This focused on the human aspects of communications and the people behind the stories rather than just different technologies.

The final brief of the day was given by Sergeant Daniel Clarke, who discussed the process of deploying the DCM-D on a recent operation. There was an excellent discussion around the table, particularly driven by General Harding, about the logistical implications of short notice deployments.

Story by NATO Communications and Information Systems Group

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