CSSC students explore security and defense at NATO workshop

I found the workshop to be an intense and rewarding experience. From interesting lectures during the day to informal exchanges in the evening, YROW was both an informative introduction to the work and ethos of the officer corps of NATO members and its partner nations and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

I was repeatedly impressed by the military participants who, through their combination of military expertise and knowledge of a civilian trade, brought a dual perspective to many issues. For example, one officer had both a civilian role in cybersecurity and a military role in logistics, enabling a better understanding of the intersection between those two issues.

The phrase “The reservist is twice the citizen,” a quote often credited to Sir Winston Churchill, echoed throughout the week, and I couldn't agree more with the sentiment of that statement. I left YROW with increased confidence in the future leaders of the NATO Alliance and its partner nations.

YROW was an intense and stimulating program with varied content, including lectures, negotiation exercises, and a NATO simulation, among other things. One highlight was the symposium in the beautiful Rosetti Hall in the Parliament Palace, featuring many interesting presenters covering issues related to disinformation, strategic communication, and narrative.

Still, the most valuable part of the program for me was the informal conversations during breaks and in the evenings. There was a high degree of diversity in backgrounds among the participants, and it was not uncommon to sit at a table with an American pilot, a Finnish teacher, a British civil servant, and a Romanian engineer.

At the same time, there was a strong sense of community centered on shared military experience and, in particular, shared military leadership experience. This unique combination enabled an unusually constructive dialogue about today's issues.

As a civilian with no military experience, YROW introduced me to extremes of defense and military thinking that one is fortunate to seldom have to consider. This became particularly tangible during our lecture on the Law of Armed Conflict, which showed how the rules of war differ in theory and practice.

In fact, this gap was a recurring theme: the theoretical distinction between war and peace may appear straightforward, but in practice, modern cyber warfare makes that line rather fuzzy. Similarly, lecturers stressed that NATO is not a military organization characterized by speed and action but a complex political one characterized by negotiation, compromise, and consent.

All in all, meeting people at YROW taught me that even in NATO, structures alone are inadequate and that individuals, personal accountability, and personal relationships matter most. That is why cross-country, cross-sector meetings – just like YROW – are so important.

Taken together, our experiences at YROW highlighted the value of bringing together people from different countries, professions, and backgrounds around a shared interest in security and defense. The week demonstrated not only the importance of military knowledge and preparedness but also the particular role reservists can play in connecting military and civilian perspectives.

Just as importantly, it reinforced how much international cooperation ultimately depends on personal relationships, mutual understanding, and trust. We returned from Bucharest with new perspectives, new connections, and a greater appreciation for the people who will help shape the future of European and transatlantic security.

All photos ©YROC/Christoph Merki