HQ NRDC-ESP

Students and teachers at the HQ NRDC-ESP (Bétera-Valencia)

Commander's welcome

Zagan meeting room at the HQ NRDC-ESP

On 7 February, students and teachers of the Defence Public Affairs Course visited the headquarters of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps (HQ NRDC-ESP) in Bétera (Valencia).

Once received by Lieutenant General Fernando García-Vaquero Pradal, Commander of the HQ, who officially welcomed them, they participated in a series of lectures, which were given by the staff of the Communication Division of the HQ NRDC-ESP. First, on the concept of STRATCOM (Strategic Communication), its procedures and the information environment assessment. Then, on the structure and missions of the Military Public Affairs area, and the new digital media and social media analysis tool, DIGIMIND.

The Defence Public Affairs Course is held every year at the Centre for Higher Defence Studies  (CESEDEN), in Madrid, and is organised by the Directorate of Institutional Communication of the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Recruitment and Military Education, and is attached to the Central Defence Academy. The course is completed with workshops, monographic panels and some visits such as the one to HQ NRDC-ESP.

It is an inter-branches course comprising 26 students from the three armies and the UME (Emergencies Military Unit), who are working or will soon be assigned to the public affairs offices of their respective units or to the spokespersons of the international missions in which Spain participates.

The aim of the course is to train their officers in communications tasks, an increasingly important assignment within the Spanish armed forces and in international missions.