Strategic Decision Making for Crisis Response Operations Course – 2026 Pilot Iteration (NATO-Approved Course; NATO ETOC Code: ETE-CM-41879)

Date: (16-11-2026)
City: Sofia
Location: CMDR COE
Duration: 4.5 residential training days + mandatory 3.5-hour pre-course ADL
Classification: NATO UNCLASSIFIED
Depth of knowledge: Level 300 – Independent

The 2026 pilot iteration of the NATO-approved Strategic Decision Making for Crisis Response Operations (SDMCRO) Course will take place from 16 to 20 November 2026. The residential phase will be conducted at the CMDR COE premises, 34A Totleben Blvd, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Methodology:
The course is a blended learning solution.
Part 1 consists of a mandatory asynchronous Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) package of approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, to be completed before arrival. Completion is verified through an individual threshold knowledge assessment.
Part 2 consists of 4.5 residential training days at the CMDR COE premises. The course uses short interactive lectures, senior practitioner panels, SME-led workshops, guided discussions, case studies, peer learning and syndicate work based on a fictitious but realistic, evolving strategic-level HA/DR scenario.

Aim:
To enable senior military officers and civilian equivalents to independently analyse the needs, capabilities, relationships and coordination mechanisms of relevant international stakeholders, and to develop strategic recommendations that harmonise NATO’s activities and avoid duplication of effort during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR), within the context of a Comprehensive Approach.

Training Audience:
OF-4 through OF-6 and civilian equivalents. Exceptions may be approved for personnel whose current or prospective duties directly match the course requirement.
Personnel serving, or preparing to serve, at NATO and Allied national political, political-military and military-strategic levels. The principal audience includes personnel at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, including staffs supporting the North Atlantic Council, the NATO International Staff and the International Military Staff; Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, particularly Strategic Plans and Policy; and equivalent Allied national ministries of defence, general staffs and other strategic-level governmental bodies. Participants should have responsibilities in policy formulation, political-military advice, strategic planning, crisis management, civil preparedness, resilience, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, or interagency and international coordination. Partner-nation personnel are excluded from the 2026 iteration.

Performance Objectives:
- Describe the international HA/DR stakeholder and coordination environment.
- Analyse NATO’s strategic coordination requirements during an HA/DR response.
- Develop strategic recommendations to harmonise NATO activities with the international HA/DR response.
 
Prerequisites:
- Relevant professional experience in policy, planning, crisis management, civil preparedness, resilience, humanitarian assistance, disaster response or international coordination;
- Completion of the mandatory ADL package and the individual threshold knowledge assessment before arrival. Residential attendance is conditional upon successful completion.

Language Requirements:
English language proficiency: STANAG 6001 – Listening 3, Speaking 2, Reading 3, Writing 2 (SLP 3232), or CEFR B2+/C1.

Attendance:
Full attendance is required. The Certificate for Successful Completion is awarded only to learners who meet the required assessment standards.

Registration/Eligibility:
Mandatory on-line registration should be completed as soon as possible, but no later than 30 OCT 2026. A minimum of 15 participants is required to conduct the course; the maximum is 24.
For the 2026 pilot iteration, applications are restricted to personnel from NATO bodies and NATO member nations. Partner-nation participation is not authorised.

Course Fee:
The course fee is € 300. Enrolled learners or their organisations are to pay the course fee no later than 09 NOV 2026. The fee can be paid online (a payment link will be provided) or via bank transfer (further details will be provided). In the event of a no-show after the cancellation deadline, the course fee is non-refundable.
No course fee will be charged to military personnel, governmental employees, or staff of governmental educational institutions from the Sponsoring Nations (Greece, Hungary, Poland and Romania) and the Framework nation (Bulgaria).

Course assessment and certification: 
Each learner must demonstrate an ability to perform in accordance with the course objectives. Formative assessment runs throughout the course through learner-produced analytical products, guided discussion and facilitator observation and feedback during syndicate work. The summative assessment is an integrated capstone consisting of a syndicate strategic recommendation and briefing with panel questioning, and an individual one-page decision note. Products are assessed against completeness, accuracy, soundness of judgement, application of the Comprehensive Approach, feasibility, risk awareness, avoidance of duplication of effort and clarity of strategic advice. There are two types of certificates depending on overall performance: Certificate for Successful Completion and Certificate for Participation. The Certificate for Successful Completion is awarded only where the learner demonstrates the critical standards of the course performance objectives.

Cancellation:
Cancellation of participation is possible only with at least two weeks’ notice before the course start date. The entire course fee remains non-refundable after the after that deadline.

Dress Code: 
Smart casual, business casual or military uniforms. 

POCs:
- Course DIR: 
COL Orlin Garkov, Exercise Section Head, e-mail: orlin.garkov@cmdrcoe.org
Office telephone number: +359 2 92 24 736
- Course OPR:  
LTC Milen MIRCHEV, Operational Laboratory Expert, e-mail: milen.mirchev@cmdrcoe.org
Office telephone number: +359 2 92 24 759