The National Army will stage the multinational exercise “Peace Shield 2024” during June 17-28. The military will be assessed by national and international experts when carrying out activities specific to international peacekeeping missions. In connection with the preparations for the exercise, in the course of June military vehicles will travel on national roads from the places of permanent deployment to the National Army Training Center, IPN reports.

The Ministry of Defense noted that the exercise aims to evaluate Peacekeeping Battalion No. 22 “Blue Helmets” in accordance with the Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC). The servicemen will be assessed how they fulfil patrol, convoy and escort activities, search vehicles at the checkpoints, ensure the security of strategic facilities, medical evacuation, and how they provide first aid.

Simultaneously, the National Army will host the Assessor Training Course aimed at training military personnel on the procedures and correctness of carrying out the assessment in accordance with the OCC concept. About 40 assessors from Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, South Korea, France, Georgia, Germany, Jordan, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Malta, Great Britain, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, the U.S., Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine will be trained.

The OCC certification is a mandatory condition for the National Army’ participation in peacekeeping missions under the aegis of the UN, including KFOR in Kosovo and UNIFIL in Lebanon. The National Army joined the OCC program in 2007.