Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum

Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS) is a NATO command with its headquarters at Brunssum, the Netherlands. It was established in 2004, as part of a reorganisation that reduced the number of NATO Military Command Structure headquarters.

Joint Force Command Brunssum
Coat of arms
Active	AFCENT: 1953-2000 RHQ AFNORTH: 2000-2004 JFC-Brunssum: 2004-present
Part of	Allied Command Operations, Casteau, Belgium
Headquarters	Brunssum, Netherlands
Motto(s)	Many Nations: One Mission
Website	jfcbs.nato.int
Commanders
Commander	General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, Italian Army
Deputy Commander	Lieutenant General Luis Lanchares, Spanish Army
Chief of Staff	Lieutenant General Krzysztof Król, Polish Army
Command Sergeant Major	Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Stanley Ryan, Royal Canadian Navy

History

Allied Forces Central Europe from 1953

The Henry IV quarter at the Palace of Fontainebleau
(48°24′10″N 2°42′8″E) in 1965. Prior to World War II these offices housed the Artillery School.

The command traces its history to Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), which was activated in August 1953 in Fontainebleau, outside Paris, France.^[1]

Ensuring interoperability among land forces of the different NATO Member States has always been a challenge,^[2] which is why a variety of NATO standardization activities, such as the NATO Standardization Office, have been underway since the 1950s.^[3]

After General Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) in 1950, he found that devising command arrangements in the Central Region, which contained the bulk of NATO's forces, was to be complicated.^[4] General Eisenhower considered naming an overall Commander-in-Chief (CINC) for the Central Region but soon realized it would be difficult to find an arrangement that would satisfy all three major powers with forces in the Centre - the United States, United Kingdom and France - because their views on the proper relationship of air and ground power differed significantly. Moreover, he wanted to control the most important region, Central Region, himself.^[5]

Drawing upon his Second World War experience, Eisenhower decided to retain overall control himself and did not appoint a CINC for the Central Region. Instead there would be three separate commanders-in-chief (for Allied Air Forces Central Europe, Allied Land Forces Central Europe and Flag Officer Central Europe (FLAGCENT)), all reporting directly to SACEUR. Vice Admiral Robert Jaujard of the French Navy was appointed as Flag Officer Central Europe, and served from 2 April 51 until 20 August 1953.^[6] On 20 August 1953 General Ridgeway, Eisenhower's successor, established a single Commander-in-Chief (CINCENT) for the region with subordinate land, air and naval commanders (COMLANDCENT, COMAIRCENT, and COMNAVCENT respectively).^[1]

Arms of Allied Forces Central Europe, bearing the motto (supposedly that of Charlemagne) "In Scelus Exsurgo Sceleris Discrimina Purgo", which translates roughly as "I fight against Aggression and punish the Aggressor".^[7]

One of the command's exercises in the 1950s was Operation Counter Punch. Counter Punch was a September 1957 AFCENT air-ground military exercise that also tested NATO's integrated air-defense system in its central European front. The exercise involved the national air-defense systems of Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, with Général d'Armée Jean-Étienne Valluy, French Army, NATO's Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Central Europe (CINCENT), in overall command.^[8] Operation Counter Punch revealed deficiencies in the Integrated NATO Air Defense System as well as air force responsiveness to theoretical Soviet and Warsaw Pact ground advances.^[9]

After July 1962 and the establishment of Commander Allied Forces Baltic Approaches (COMBALTAP), German naval forces were shifted into that command.^[4] Thereafter there was no longer any need for the small headquarters of Allied Naval Forces Central Europe and its two subordinate commands, and they were disestablished in 1962, leaving naval liaison provided by a US naval officer.^[1]

AFCENT remained in France under French command until 1967, when France removed itself from the military command structure. The headquarters was moved to Brunssum in 1967 and activated under German command.^[1]

Subordinate AFCENT commands in 1989

Main articles: CENTAG wartime structure in 1989 and NORTHAG wartime structure in 1989

Command Structure of AFCENT in 1989 (click to enlarge)

NATO corps sectors in the Central Region in the 1980s

During the Cold War, AFCENT commanded the following units:

• Allied Command Europe, in Mons, Belgium
  • Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), in Brunssum, Netherlands
    • Northern Army Group (NORTHAG), at JHQ Rheindahlen, West Germany
      • I Dutch Corps
      • I German Corps
      • I British Corps
      • I Belgian Corps
    • Central Army Group (CENTAG), in Heidelberg, West Germany
      • III German Corps
      • V US Corps
      • VII US Corps
      • II German Corps
    • Allied Air Forces Central Europe (AAFCE), in Ramstein Air Base, West Germany
      • Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF)
      • Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF)

AFCENT command badges in the 1980s

The III Corps (US) was allocated as NORTHAG reserve. On activation, it would have deployed to Europe from bases in the United States. A forward element, 3rd Brigade, US 2nd Armored Division, was located at Garlstedt, Germany.^[10] The U.S. III Corps also maintained a forward headquarters at Tapijn Kazerne, Maastricht, Netherlands.^[11]

The commander of US Army Europe, Gen. William W. Crouch, assumed an additional role as commander of NATO LANDCENT on 15 February 1996. He was the first American to command LANDCENT since its 1993 activation. Originally, the LANDCENT command was to be rotated between German and Dutch generals. The dual command of United States Army Europe (USAREUR) and LANDCENT allowed the continued integration of US Army Europe into NATO's post-Cold War structure. All NATO corps, except for the de:IV. Korps (Bundeswehr), were then multinational. In the mid-late 1990s there were four multinational main defence corps in NATO's Central Region: one Danish-German (LANDJUT), one Dutch-German (I GE/NL Corps) and two German-United States (II GE/US and V US/GE). In addition, an agreement was made which set out the arrangements under which the European Corps, consisting of units from Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Spain, would be made available to NATO in times of crisis.^[12]

LANDCENT's missions were to:^[13]

1. Protect the peace and deter aggression in NATO's central region (Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands).
2. Plan, prepare and direct operations of land forces under NATO command.
3. Plan, coordinate and conduct the land and air subcampaign jointly with NATO's Allied Air Command, Central.
4. Develop plans for, and participate in, the MCP and Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative.
5. Support the flanks of the area of responsibilities.

The departure from the Cold War era brought the implementation of a new NATO Integrated Military Structure and LandCENT was formally designated Joint Headquarters Centre (JHQ CENT) in a ceremony held on March 9, 2000.^[14]

Establishment of JFC Brunssum

In 2000, the deactivation of Headquarters, Allied Forces Northern Europe (AFNORTH) in Kolsås, Norway led to the redesignation of AFCENT as Regional Headquarters, Allied Forces Northern Europe (RHQ AFNORTH). The headquarters operated as RHQ AFNORTH until 2004, when it was renamed Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFC-B) to add flexibility to the military command structure by removing regional restrictions.^[15]

Circa 2010, JFC Brussum appears to be responsible for Contingency Plan Eagle Guardian, NATO's Article 5 plan to defend Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.^[16]

Until March 2013 Command Component Land Heidelberg (FC Heidelberg (Land)), the land component command, was under the control of this headquarter and located at Heidelberg in Germany.^[17]

Facilities

General Sir James Everard, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe meets General Riccardo Marchiò, NATO JFC-B Commander at Brunssum during 2018

Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk Camp

Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk Camp is the headquarters and main base area of JFC Brunssum.^[18] Other organizations located on Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk Camp are the NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency, Sector Brunssum (NCSA-B)^[19] and the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Programme Management Agency (NAPMA).^[20]

Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk Camp also boasts an all ranks club called Club 13, a small tax-free department store called the B&S Store, a film theatre, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a gymnasium. Additional services are provided by the AAFES on US Army Garrison Brunssum.^[21]

Static War Headquarters Castlegate

Main article: Static War Headquarters Castlegate

Static War Headquarters Castlegate is a NATO command and communications bunker located approximately 2 km north-east of the town of Linnich, Germany.^[22] SWHQ Castlegate is operated in caretaker status by a German military contingent.^[23]

Commanders

The commander of JFC-B is known as Commander, Joint Force Command Brunssum. The position was formerly known as Commander-in-Chief North (CINCNORTH) and Commander-in-Chief Central (CINCCENT). JFC-B is normally commanded by a German General.

No.	Portrait	Name	Title	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Country
1		Juin, AlphonseAlphonse Juin (1888–1967)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	20 August 1953	September 1956	3 years	France
2		Valluy, Jean-EtienneJean Étienne Valluy (1899–1970)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	October 1956	May 1960	3 years, 7 months	France
3		Challe, MauriceMaurice Challe (1905–1979)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	May 1960	February 1961	9 months	France
4		Jacquot, PierrePierre-Elie Jacquot [fr] (1902–1984)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	March 1961	December 1963	2 years, 10 months	France
5		Crépin, JeanJean Albert Emile Crépin [a]	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	December 1963	June 1966	2 years, 6 months	France
6		Kielmansegg, JohannJohann Adolf Graf von Kielmansegg (1906–2006)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	15 March 1967	1 April 1968	1 year	Germany
7		Bennecke, JürgenJürgen Bennecke [de] (1912–2002)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 July 1968	30 September 1973	5 years, 2 months	Germany
8		Ferber, ErnstErnst Ferber [de] (1914–1998)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 October 1973	30 September 1975	1 year, 11 months	Germany
9		Schnell, KarlKarl Schnell [de] (1916–2008)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 October 1975	7 January 1977	1 year, 3 months	Germany
10		Schulze, FranzFranz-Joseph Schulze (1918–2005)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	7 January 1977	30 September 1979	2 years, 8 months	Germany
11		Senger, FerdinandFerdinand von Senger und Etterlin (1923–1987)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 October 1979	28 September 1983	3 years, 11 months	Germany
12		Chalupa, LeopoldLeopold Chalupa [de] (born 1927)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	28 September 1983	1 October 1987	4 years	Germany
13		Sandrart, HansHans-Henning von Sandrart [de] (1933–2013)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 October 1987	27 September 1991	3 years, 11 months	Germany
14		Ondarza, HenningHenning von Ondarza [de] (born 1933)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	27 September 1991	23 March 1994	2 years, 5 months	Germany
15		Hansen, HelgeHelge Hansen (born 1936)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	1 April 1994	March 1996	1 year, 11 months	Germany
16		Stöckmann, DieterDieter Stöckmann (born 1941)	Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe	March 1996	30 March 1998	2 years	Germany
17		Spiering, JoachimJoachim Spiering [de] (born 1940) [b]	Commander in Chief Allied Forces North Europe	30 March 1998	March 2001	2 years, 11 months	Germany
18		Deverell, JackSir Jack Deverell (born 1945)	Commander in Chief Allied Forces North Europe	March 2001	January 2004	2 years, 10 months	United Kingdom
19		Back, GerhardGerhard W. Back [de] (born 1944) [c]	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	January 2004	26 January 2007	3 years	Germany
20		Ramms, EgonEgon Ramms (born 1948)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	26 January 2007	29 September 2010	3 years, 8 months	Germany
21		Langheld, WolfWolf-Dieter Langheld [de] (born 1950)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	29 September 2010	14 December 2012	2 years, 2 months	Germany
22		Domröse, HansHans-Lothar Domröse (born 1952)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	14 December 2012	3 March 2016	3 years, 2 months	Germany
23		Farina, SalvatoreSalvatore Farina (born 1957)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	4 March 2016	16 February 2018	1 year, 11 months	Italy
24		Riccardo MarchiòRiccardo Marchiò (born 1955)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	16 February 2018	31 March 2019	6 years, 9 months	Italy
25		Buhler, ErhardErhard Bühler (born 1956)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	31 March 2019	22 April 2020	1 year	Germany
26		Vollmer, JörgJörg Vollmer (born 1957)	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	22 April 2020	3 June 2022	2 years, 1 month	Germany
27		Miglietta, Guglielmo LuigiGuglielmo Luigi Miglietta (born 1961) [24]	Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum	3 June 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 5 months	Italy

Notes

1. from July 1, 1966 France was no longer part of NATO's military command structure
2. Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe until March 3, 2000
3. Commander in Chief Allied Forces North Europe until July 1, 2004

References

1. "Allied Forces Central Europe". Retrieved 21 June 2014.
2. Derleth, James (16 June 2015). "Enhancing interoperability: the foundation for effective NATO operations". NATO Review. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
3. Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 11. ISBN 9780850451634.
4. Dr Gregory Pedlow, Evolution of NATO's Command Structure
5. "Forging the Weapon: The origins of SHAPE" (PDF). NATO. 7 December 2012. p. 15. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
6. North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Senior officials in the NATO military structure, from 1949 to 2001 (PDF) Responsible for Rhine Flotillas.
7. "Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), NATO - Coat of arms (crest) of the Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT), NATO". Heraldry-wiki.com. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
8. "Emergency Call". Time. 30 September 1957. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
9. Trauschweizer, Igor (2006). Creating Deterrence for Limited War: The U.S. Army and the Defense of West Germany, 1953–1982 (PDF). College Park, Maryland: University of Maryland. p. 179. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
10. David Isby; Charles Kamps (1985). Armies of NATO's Central Front. Jane's Publishing Company. pp. 373, 455. ISBN 0-7106-0341-X.; U.S. Army Europe (22 May 1980). Strengthening NATO: Stationing of the 2nd Armored Division (Forward) in Northern Germany (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-27.
11. Simon Duke, U.S. Military Forces and Installations in Europe, SIPRI/Oxford University Press, 1989, p. 20 - 30 ish.
12. "Eurokorps begrüßt Österreich und Finnland". Austrian Armed Forces. 25 February 2003. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
13. Crouch adds NATO role. Vol. 51. Soldiers. 1 April 1996. p. 7. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
14. Allied Land Component Headquarters Heidelberg, History of the Headquarters, updated September 15, 2004
15. "What is JFC Brunssum?". NATO. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
16. Wikileaks/The Guardian, search Eagle Guardian
17. "Deactivation of Command Component Land Heidelberg".
18. AFNORTH: About us Archived October 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
19. NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency Archived July 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
20. "NAPMA | NATO AEW&C Programme Management Agency | Homepage". Napma.nato.int. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
21. "Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations". US Army Garrison Benelux. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
22. "Militärstandorte um und in Aachen". Users.cuci.nl. Archived from the original on 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
23. Joint Force Command Brunssum Team ^{[dead link‍]}
24. "Commander JFC-Brunssum".

External links

• Official website

50°56′18.41″N 5°58′43.46″E