US embassy cable - 05LJUBLJANA15

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 000015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR, SI 
SUBJECT:  SLOVENIA SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT, 
DECEMBER 2004 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  The new FMF Training case was signed in 
December and all documentation was completed in time to 
use the case to send nine students to training in 
January.  The ACSA with Slovenia is not in force yet. 
 
2. POLITICAL-MILITARY 
 
A.  FMF/FMS BUDGET 
 
1) ODC submitted the FY07-12 FMF and IMET budget 
request to HQ on 4 Jan.  Slovenia does have uncommitted 
FMF funds remaining but has plans to use the funds; all 
new requests support NATO Force Goals or combat 
capability. 
 
2) The MOD requested a new FMF case for $100,000 to 
purchase spares for their HMMWVs.  The Slovenes want to 
obtain spare parts for their 30 HMMWVs more quickly 
than buying through commercial sales.  The ODC is 
discussing with the US Army the advantages and 
disadvantages of blanket order cases and CLSSA cases to 
determine which would be best for Slovenia. 
 
3.  KEY ISSUES AND SIGNIFICANT EVENTS 
 
A. FMF CASES 
 
1) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING (S3-D-TAC).  There are 36 
Slovenian students in elementary classes and 48 in 
intermediate classes, which continue until June. Twenty- 
four Slovenian and nine international students from 
Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, and Macedonia completed an 
advanced course in December and took listening, 
speaking, reading, & writing exams based on STANAG 6001 
criteria.  The two teachers who were here TDY from 
DLIELC departed on 17 December.  ODC sent a request for 
two TDY instructors to arrive in January and February 
2005 but we may only be able to get one instructor. 
The LTD chief attended a STANAG 6001 testing 
conference, sponsored by the British Council, in Czech 
Republic; the TDY was paid by the Marshall Center.  An 
amendment for $650,194 for this case was signed in July 
2004. 
 
2) BLANKET TRAINING (S3-B-OAC) The MOD requested a 
Blanket Training FMF case for $100,000.  We appreciate 
the tremendous help and extra work from DSCA in pushing 
this case thru the system as a priority.  The case was 
signed in Dec 04 and all documentation was completed in 
time to use the case to send nine students to class in 
January.  The approval process for courses funded under 
the training case will be the same as courses funded 
under IMET. 
 
3) DRILL INSTRUCTOR (S3-B-OAB).  The drill instructor, 
Sgt Garfield Lyons, arrived on 3 Jan and will be 
working at the Vipava Training Center.  Sgt Lyons will 
observe Slovenia's basic training and suggest 
improvements.  Improving basic training is a high 
priority for the Slovenes and they appreciate the US 
Army providing an NCO to help in this effort. 
 
4) DEFENSE PLANNING SYSTEM (S3-B-UAS) LOA for the 
Defense Planning System was signed 24 Nov 04 for 
$111,126.  This case was originally requested before 
FMF funds were frozen in 2003.  An additional class on 
Defense Planning will be added to the case at a later 
date.  CCMR, while in Slovenia for an MTT, discussed 
training for this case with the Slovenes and have 
provided ODC an outline of a course designed to meet 
Slovenia's needs. 
 
5) P&A DATA FOR NBC DETECTION HMMWV (S3-B-PBB).  The 
Army established a planning case for developing P&A 
data for a HMMWV outfitted as an NBC detection vehicle. 
P&A data are expected to be available soon.  POTUS set 
aside $1M of Slovenia's FY04 FMF funds for NBC 
detection equipment and the set-aside could be used for 
an NBC HMMWV. 
 
B. FMS. 
 
ASOC (S3-D-QAA).  The Slovene MOD requested that the 
Air Sovereignty Operations Center (ASOC) case be 
amended to include an additional 36 months of 
 
 
modernization and sustainment support.  The official 
letter of request was sent on 2 Sep 04.  The amendment 
is expected to cost $1,650,000 ($550,000 per year for 
three years).  The Slovenes recently requested that 
this case be funded with FMF funds instead of national 
funds. 
 
C. DCS/CONTRACTOR. 
 
GPS.  The Slovenes have asked for an official 
explanation of the US approval process to obtain P- 
codes.  ODC sent a message to EUCOM requesting an 
explanation of the process and received an email 
response from the J6 action officer but no official 
response yet.  The Slovene Director of Defense Policy 
is now working the GPS issue too. 
 
D. IMET. 
 
1) Four students were processed for training; one for 
December training and three for January. Due to late 
receipt of the fund cite from SATFA we had to postpone 
for several days the departure of a student to the 
Infantry Captain Career Course (WCN 1145). 
 
2) The Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR) at 
the Naval Postgraduate School and the Personnel 
Recruiting Department of the General Staff of the 
Slovene Armed Forces hosted a workshop (14-16 December) 
on "the Recruitment Process in Professional NATO Armed 
Forces."  The workshop proved essential to the Slovene 
recruiting officials in the light of the recent 
Professionalization of the Slovenian Armed Forces.  It 
provided case studies of NATO nations' recruitment 
process and experiences, as well as some key best 
practices ascertained from academic study.  The 
attendees were 12 NCOs and one officer in charge of 
recruiting of enlisted personnel in regional offices 
all over Slovenia.   The ODC has received very positive 
feedback from the participants of the workshop and 
supports the follow-up event that will take place in 
February 2005.  ODC commends CCMR on selecting a 
faculty team that provided insight on several, rather 
than a single, NATO nation's recruiting process. 
Especially invaluable for the Slovene recruiters proved 
to be the knowledge and experiences shared by CW04 
Jacob Klootwijk. 
 
3) Three ECL tests were administered to 17 students in 
December, all candidates for various FY05 IMET courses 
and FMF S3-B-OAC case (IBOS seminar). 
 
E. MARSHALL CENTER. 
 
1) Slovenia nominated two participants for the "Program 
in Advanced Security Studies."  Both participants are 
from the Slovene police. 
 
2) Despite the fact that Slovenia was not invited to 
nominate a candidate for "Program on Terrorism and 
Security Studies," the Faculty of Social Sciences 
expressed an interest in sending one of its staff to 
the course.  The justification included a statement 
that this course would be of great assistance to the 
faculty in developing a class on terrorism and the 
means to fight it.  The request was approved. 
 
F. JCTP/SPP. 
 
1) The BAO attended a meeting with the Ambassador to 
receive the new Minister of Defense, Karl Erjavec on 21 
Dec.  The new Minister has no personal military 
experience; he was previously involved in human rights 
and the justice system. Also in attendance from the 
Slovene government was the Director of Defense Policy 
and the head of the minister's office. 
 
2) The BAO is writing a memorandum to the Slovene 
General Staff requesting clarification for the approval 
process for bilateral affairs events.  The Slovene 
Armed Forces recently changed their procedures and 
there is confusion, both internally and externally, 
about their procedures. 
 
3) The BAO will meet with the Slovene J-7 on 12 Jan 05 
 
 
to continue developing concepts for FY2006 events. Five 
events are being targeted toward enhancing the NATO 
Force Goals of: NBC Recon/Decon, Intel Battalion, and 
Aviation deployablity. 
 
5) The BAO conducted a Video Teleconference with 
Colorado SPPC to verify that the system works and can 
be used for further coordination and possible "mini- 
events". Video Teleconferencing with EUCOM is a little 
more complicated since all VTC connections are secure. 
However, it was discovered that these VTCs can easily 
be modified to perform in an unclassified mode. 
 
6) The BAO is still waiting for confirmation regarding 
the Small Unit Event exercise approval from ECRA. 
 
4.  PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS 
 
A.  PERSONNEL: 
 
1) PERSPECTIVE GAINS: None 
2) PERSPECTIVE LOSSES: None 
3) ATTACHED PERSONNEL: 
- Mary Jo Villalobos, Language Center Coordinator 
- Kristin Pedroja, English Test Developer, one year 
- Kathy Lance, English Teacher, one year 
- John Stephens, English Teacher, one year 
- Helen Prevost, English Teacher, one year 
- Terry Jenkins, arrives 14 Jan 05 for 90-day TDY 
- Sgt Garfield Lyons, S3-B-OAB, TDY NTE 90-days, 
arrived 3 Jan 05 
4) ODC CHIEF APPROVED TDY/LEAVE: 
- MAJ Fredericksen, LV 3-7 Jan 05 
- Mary Jo Villalobos, LV 3-4 Jan 05 
5) RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None 
6) EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None 
 
B.  RESOURCES. Vehicles and ADP equipment are 100% 
operational.  The office AFN dish was struck by 
lightning and was sent back to EUCOM (SFC Crouse) for 
disposition. 
 
C.  ICASS. No issues. 
 
D. LOGISTICS. 
 
1) The BAO Driver's Non-Personal Services contract was 
determined to be an illegal contract by the Embassy. 
EUCOM is currently working with the Embassy to draft a 
new Personal Services contract to replace the current 
one.  The NPS contract does not provide the protection 
for FSN's employed by the Embassy which is based upon a 
Memorandum of Agreement between the DoS and DoD dated 
July 2004.  Slovenia is being used as a test bed for 
the new contract since contracts in other countries may 
face the same challenge. 
 
2) The BAO office is waiting for approval to proctor 
the EUCOM Driver's exam for individuals that need to 
drive the BAO vehicle. 
 
5. CHIEF/BAO COMMENTS: 
 
- The LTD Chief, Mary Jo Villalobos, received the 
Bronze Medal from the Slovene military at a ceremony in 
honor of her outstanding work managing the English 
Language School.  The Slovenes are expected to assume 
management of the school this year and Ms Villalobos is 
scheduled to leave Slovenia this summer. 
 
- BAO comment: The new Defense Minister announced 
several changes to the military leadership.  Capt (N) 
Renato Petric was appointed Commander of Force Command 
in Vrhnika; previous Commander, Brig Bojan Suligoj, 
will be Assistant of the Chief of GS SAF for 
International Cooperation.  Brig Jozef Zunkovic, 
previous Chief of Operation Staff in GS SAF, was 
appointed Commander of Command for Doctrine, 
Development, Education and Training (equivalent to US 
TRADOC). Brig Janez Kavar will be Assistant of the 
Chief of GS SAF.  Col Dragan Bavcar was appointed Chief 
of Operation Staff in GS SAF. 
 
- The ODC received a request to obtain operational 
costs for the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams from the 
 
 
Slovenes. The BAO is currently working on obtaining 
these figures and understanding why the Slovenes want 
this information. 
 
- ODC asked the MOD for a letter requesting the ACSA 
begin, as is required by the ACSA.  Slovenia has not 
signed the letter since they may want to make changes 
to the Slovene version of the document.  ODC 
recommended that Slovenia provide the letter and, at a 
later date, change the wording of the document if 
desired. 
 
6. POC is Lt Col Margaret Claytor at +386-1-471-2873, 
FAX 471-1577, or email mclaytor@san.osd.mil. 
ROBERTSON 
 
 
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 2005LJUBLJ00015 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 


 
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