NATO Standards - Respect for Life

On the 28th February I had a second article published in Kyiv Post about NATO standards. So far it has not caught the attention of many people. I felt that I was worth writing about specific parts of this in more detail and for a wider audience.

The first standard was "Respect for life" . I wrote that I wrote that this means that operational decisions should always take saving life into account and the combat medical system must be designed to ensure that anyone injured has the greatest chance of survival in all phases of war. Every unit must have appropriate personnel, medical equipment, vehicles, supplies and training.

When I wrote this, my focus was on the army. But these standards are not just for the Army. NATO is an alliance based upon values. These values ​​are national and so apply equally to the Police, Interior Ministry troops and security organisations. In this case, not only how they support and treat their own people but more importantly how they treat others. The NATO membership action plan covers many more aspects of the Government than just the Defense Ministry and the military.

Within the military, respect for life has a powerful operational ramification. It means that there must be strong battle discipline. Soldiers must always wear their helmets and flak jackets when in or near the front line. They must never expose themselves needlessly to enemy sight to allow snipers a target. The recent spate of death from snipers should be cause for a serious change in tactics. This constant disease can not continue without question. There should be a new doctrine, and training and operations should be developed until the threat is reduced. This should be a national concern for the government and parliamentary level and money should be reallocated to face this serious challenge.

The main problem with medical is the lack of structured organizational support at brigade and divisional level. There is still not a proper force in the military front line. Also, ambulances are not right for the bad driving conditions at the front. This needs changing. Hopefully the setting of the new medical HQ under the MO will create real organisational changes in medical support. Certainly the MO Reform Office has worked hard to change this system. This is vital because mobile warfare means that the medical system must be available wherever and whenever a brigade deploys. It must be an organized unit like any other Brigade unit with a commander, headquarters and communications and a trained medical staff.

Respect for life also covers how people are treated within the army and when they leave the services. There are real concerns about the number of suicides and the mental welfare of those leaving. MO now takes this problem seriously. The support system is still being developed but the numbers are growing faster than the resources. Resettlement back into society is an area of ​​support where volunteers and business can and must still play a major role for many years to come.