The announcement of the CIOR Summer Congress also signals the coming of the annual CIMIC (Civil-Military Cooperation) exercise, CIMEX. This year’s theme should be particularly interesting and highly relevant, so hurry and sign up, says CIMIC Chair, Major Zoe Stewart (R), UK Army.
By: Roy Thorvaldsen, Lt. Col (R), Norwegian Army/ CIOR Public Affairs.
-On behalf of CIOR’s CIMIC Committee, I would like to warmly welcome you to this year’s exercise, says Major Stewart.
CIOR CIMIC Chair, Major Zoe Stewart (R), UK Army.
Major Stewart is new to the role as CIMIC Chair, and full of energy and drive – eager to drum up support for the exercise, which takes place in less than a week from today: Saturday July 31st and Sunday August 1st.
”How do CIMIC reservists support resilience in the fight against a pandemic and associated resilience challenges?” is the fitting theme for this year’s CIMEX, as the cover photo of the programme indicates.
No prior knowledge required
No specific preparation is required to attend the CIMEX, nor any prior knowledge of CIMIC. You do not even have to be a CIMIC officer to participate. It has been designed as a self-contained learning experience.
Free of charge
The organisers hope the digital format this year – and hence no face-to-face interaction and socialising – won’t stop would-be parttakers from signing up. By the way: Participation in the event is completely free of charge.
Resilience
– This year we have chosen a theme that aligns with the overall theme of the CIOR Presidency: “Resilience of our Reservists”. Hence, we will be exploring the role of CIMIC reserve officers in supporting governments in civil preparedness, the preparation for a crisis.
– More specifically, this exercise will be built around how a CIMIC reserve officer can support during a pandemic – and build resilience, Stewart says.
– This is very pertinent when we consider the number and variety of crises currently happening around the world – like Covid-19, significant heat waves, horrendous fires and flooding.
From the CIMIC exercise (CIMEX) that took place in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2019.
– Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s CIMEX will be online, but despite this, we have a varied and diverse programme that we hope participants will find engaging and valuable, says Major Stewart.
From CIMEX 2019, in Tallinn, Estonia.
CIMIC explained
A high-level explanation of CIMIC and Civil Preparedness has been provided in the context of the exercise with the intent of helping participants to understand what they will be learning and participating in during the two-day event.
Therefore, the exercise should be a valuable pedagogic introduction to this particular military discipline, where operators have one foot in the military world and the other foot in the civilian world.
Each year, the CIOR CIMIC Committee delivers a CIMEX on behalf of CIOR; it is a recognised NATO exercise.
From the CIMEX that took place in Tallinn, Estonia in 2020.
The overall purpose of CIMEX:
– Note that by participating you will gain some value in attending and on completion have a basis to start preparing for attendance at the next CIMEX planned for 2022. That will be an on-site, physical exercise either in Greece or in Belgium, major Stewart points out.
So, by participating this year, you will be ahead of the game for next year’s CIMEX, which will be held during a traditional, physical Summer Congress – probably in Athens, Greece.
Click here for the detailed programme of this year’s exercise and instructions on how to sign up!