OKAS 2019: WHAT DID WE LEARN AND HOW TO PROCEED Lieutenant Colonel Mart Sirel

When returning to the first component, i.e. the speed and the response rate of the reservists, I can be extremely satisfied with the result of Okas 2019 for my battalion. In less than 24 hours more than 100% of the battalion was formed. The number is even higher if we include the reservists who could not attend the exercise with a legitimate reason.

There is no need to get ahead of the laws of physics, therefore, the key issue is not so much to increase speed but to ensure its continuity in the longer perspective. In other words, how to maintain and further improve the readiness of reservists to participate in national defence during peacetime and wartime. In this, we – officers and non-commissioned officers – have a very important role to play.

As the sergeant major of battalion and I were preparing a lecture on service in the reserve to the soldiers who had been assigned to the reserve forces last May, I noticed that standard lecture materials focus on legislation, duties and penalties.

There is no doubt that these matters should also be introduced, but according to management theory such an approach is considered compliance-oriented. Our goal should be commitment-orientation. At all of our reservist training exercises, I have passed on three key messages to my soldiers: the importance of initiative, the importance of a team, and the necessity and efficiency of the reserve army.

Several positive examples of initiative may be highlighted from the exercise. For example, one platoon commander came up to his company commander with proposals on what training topics his platoon could cover besides the post-staging training topic.

On the second occasion, another platoon commander came up with an idea on how to improve the de-staging process. The next day we had the opportunity to test this proposal successfully. To ensure that such examples would not remain singular, it is certainly not enough for a battalion or company commander to deliver a patriotic speech in front of the formation. The taken initiative must be facilitated every day during conscript service by those who come into direct contact with the soldiers – by our junior officers and non-commissioned officers.

While speaking about the importance of a team, I encouraged my future reservists to keep in touch within their small units, squads and platoons. We have excellent examples in the Estonian Defence Forces on how the reservists are kept in the information field through battalions’ social media pages. This time it was primarily an attempt to enhance coherence inside the small units.

Several platoon commanders had groups of their platoons set up in various communication channels and, on their own initiative, commanders used their own initiative to inform soldiers. As a result, one platoon already arrived in almost full capacity within a couple of hours. Team spirit does not have to end at the squad or platoon level. Many reservists said that they arrived thanks to their company commander, Captain Mait Rembel.

The sergeant major of battalion, who greeted the arrived reservists with the phrase “Welcome to the 23rd Infantry Battalion”, often heard in response the battalion’s slogan which had been chosen during the Spring Storm exercise: “Fighting spirit! Unified team!” These examples clearly demonstrate the importance of details – small at first glance. But it improves the readiness of the reservists to suspend all their activities in order to participate in national defence when called to do so by the Estonian Defence Forces.

In less than 24 hours more than 100% of the battalion was formed.

When it comes to the reservist army, it is essential to consolidate the knowledge of our conscripts, reservists, and society that our chosen defence model is effective and functional. Our conscripts are successful in the exercises organized by the Estonian Defence Forces and at the international level, as well as in combat firing. There have been units formed of service members who just finished conscription. These units have performed their duties in international military operations with great success, proving that it is possible to achieve professionalism within compulsory military service.

In conclusion, as one reservist told me during Okas 2019: “I have not trained with this unit, and I have been in the reserves already for five years, but when I see the successful operation of the unit from day one, it feels great!”

Okas 2019 showed that we have achieved a certain milestone. At the same time, we should not be content with this or focus solely on remedying the shortcomings emerged during the exercise. We must continuously think of ways to make our existing system even more efficient. I use this medium as an opportunity to once again thank all the reservists, their families, employers, acquaintances, and friends for their support and readiness shown to us during Okas 2019.

Finally, I would like to relatejust a few examples of what soldiers replied when I shook hands with them after the exercise: “Thank you, it was very nice!”, “I will come back for the third time as well! The exercise was cool!”, “It was a pleasant surprise!”, “It was great, I will definitely be there! It was a truly fantastic experience!” We certainly seem to have a solid foundation to move on from.