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My name is Eleni Alexia, I am an international student from Germany studying LLB Law with Politics and Human Rights at Goldsmiths and am about to enter my second year. I have chosen to do this LLB pathway, as I have always had a strong interest in Politics and aspire to one day be a part of it. For this reason, I have sought out the opportunity for an internship at NATO, specifically the JSEC (Joint Support and Enabling Command) Headquarters.

Before delving deeper into the JSEC department and its roles, it is essential to provide a brief overview of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its significance.

NATO consists of thirty-two member states that have come to an agreement of Military Alliance, if one of its member states should face the threat of an attack. NATO has long pursued its plan for expansion and strengthening as an international organization, particularly since the increase in terrorist attacks in Europe and Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. So far this has been accomplished through the member states investment in artillery, infrastructure and recruitment of soldiers, however also through NATOs expansion of its headquarters. Especially since the recent establishment of the Joint Support and Enabling Command (JSEC).

JSEC was established in Ulm, Germany in 2018 in direct response to Europe’s destabilizing security. The headquarters responsibility for now concern themselves with: Enablement, Reinforcement, and Sustainment. Thus, JSEC prepares for the instance of a crisis event in which soldiers, goods and equipment would need to be transported from several different member states to specific locations. However, this also includes making sure the relevant infrastructure is in place and clarifying military and civilian organizational relationships.

During my time at the Headquarters, I was able to explore departments such as the Political and Legal advisory. This provided me with an insight into how NATO is advised to proceed on decisions and relationships amongst member states. Beyond this I got to understand the intricate system of different personnel that NATO consists of such as, Civilian and Military staff and with that the many different occupations these take on.

This experience shaped my outlook on the changing of the political landscape in Europe and its future needs, and I will seek to draw upon it when taking the ‘International Law and Politics’ module, ‘Challenges to Democracy’ and other Law and Politics modules, in both the Law and Politics departments, as part of my academic study in Year 2 of my LLB pathway degree.