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Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)

Training and Doctrine Command is a supporting command of the Armed Forces. TRADOC has as their mission the education, training, and qualification of soldiers, cadets, NCOs, officers and civilian personnel of the Armed Forces. The Training and Doctrine Command develops and advances military thought in the Armed Forces through documents of a regulating and doctrinal character. It develops and synchronizes the basic doctrinal concepts for the organization, employment, and operations of the Armed Forces in compliance with the Republic of Albania's Security Strategy, Military Strategy, and NATO concepts and standards.

TRADOC, to accomplish the mission, carries out the following tasks:

• Conducts studies and research on issues in the field of defense policy and national security, and to further revise the Military Strategy.
• Compiles Joint Military Doctrine, and other doctrines.
• Compiles the doctrine for military training of the Armed Forces (individual and collective training).
• Develops and conducts the programs of education for the officers and NCOs of the Armed Forces.
• Develops and conducts programs of professional training, and of basic training, for all the contingents of the Armed Forces.
• Develops and conducts programs for progressive career training for the officers and NCOs of the Armed Forces.
• Compiles and publishes the military history of the Albanian people and Armed Forces, and publishes the military history of other countries.
• Compiles and publishes the encyclopedic and terminology dictionaries in the defense field.
• Organizes and conducts advanced military courses.

TRADOC is composed of the Headquarters Command and Staff, Defense Academy, Military University "Skenderbej," the NCO Academy, the Basic Training Brigade, a Logistic Battalion and Military Scientific Research Centers. The main locations of TRADOC are concentrated in Tirana, and Vlora.

The consolidation of the general system for management of human resources and care of personnel remains a priority duty for each organization of the Armed Forces. This system is essential for the attraction, preparation and continuous qualification of personnel in accordance with NATO standards. The application of plans for the long-term education and training of officers and NCOs provides progressive professional development for the personnel of the Armed Forces. A primary role is the development of career NCOs and manning the TOEs with professional soldiers. Recruiting of personnel for the Armed Forces and mobilization of the reserve forces is performed throughout the Republic of Albania territory by the organizations assigned for this task. This system will ensure partial mobilization in case of tension or crisis and full mobilization in wartime. Establishment of that system will be based on mid and long term plans to achieve an appropriate readiness level. Local Government structures are also involved in management of this system.

The general concept of education in the Armed Forces is directly linked with the development of operational capabilities in the Armed Forces. The following should be elements of this general concept:

• Education of conscripts, professionals, NCOs and officers, career military personnel of all levels of command, to make them capable of carrying out assigned missions.
• Education of all personnel of the Armed Forces to make them aware of their role in carrying out the mission of the Armed Forces.
• Advanced education for career personnel, leading to higher awareness and motivation to fulfill their tasks.
• Leadership qualification to fill all command levels in the Armed Forces.
• Training and realistic exercises as essential unifying elements in all units of the Armed Forces, ensuring operational readiness in accordance with NATO standards.

The system of education and training is organized and functions in accordance with overall concepts of education in the Armed Forces. These concepts are developed at the Defense Academy, the Military University "Skenderbej," Troop Schools, the Basic Training Center, and the NCO Academy. The Armed Forces education system performs a preparedness for a wide spectrum of expected missions-defense readiness, military support to civil structures, and participation in peace support operations. The main goal of education and training in the Armed Forces is the creation of sustainable operational capabilities, to ensure high readiness in response to situations in peacetime, crisis, and war.

Troop, commander and staff preparation seeks to increase the operational capability of the Armed Force to accomplish the objectives of the Military Strategy. Preparation begins with qualitatively increasing the professional qualifications of officers and NCOs, to increase their capabilities as leaders at any command level. The preparation and qualitative increase of capabilities of staffs is indispensable for preparation of units. Unit preparation includes the training of subordinate units down to squad and platoon level in order for the units to perform their tasks. The performance of mission essential tasks in peace, crisis and war time is essential to determine the operational capability of units. The planning by commands for unit preparation starts here.

Higher level staffs assist and participate in the training process enabling each small unit, tactical and operational staff to be fully prepared in order to accomplish its mission. Consolidation of combat unit organizations is a decisive process to ensure high results in their preparation and training. The use of improved infrastructure for training purposes, support by superior commands in the training process and the effectiveness of command and control will enable high operational capabilities.

Training will be conducted at a high quality level according to NATO practices, standards and procedures and complying with the Operational Capability Concept (OCC). Training should be conducted as combined with other services where possible, as well as joint. Computerization will be a progressive requirement for conducting command and staff training and exercises at all levels. This enables all military units to learn to work and operate together with supporting elements including other arms and services. A final evaluation will be included in training plans that provides a critical report of the conduct and achievement of the training. This is an indispensable step in ensuring the quality of training to achieve objectives.

Before 1961 military training relied on the Soviet model. Training manuals and materials were translated from Russian into Albanian. But even though China replaced the Soviet Union as Albania's foreign patron, the Chinese apparently made few basic changes in Albania's military training programs. Most conscripts received considerable physical conditioning, drill, and other basic training in school and through the communist youth organization. This foundation allowed the military to move conscripts rapidly into tactical combat training and small unit exercises. Tactical training typically involved preparation for fighting in defensive positions in the mountainous terrain characteristic of the country's interior. It emphasized physical conditioning, employment of light weapons, and the use of minimal amounts of matériel and other support. At least until 1991, the training program also devoted substantial time to political indoctrination conducted by political officers. Service within the naval forces was somewhat of a specialty, and many conscripts from Vlorë or Durrës were assigned to the naval forces because of their familiarity with small craft and navigation. As a result, they rarely served their term in the military out of sight of their homes, and because the level of naval deployments and training was low, they remained available for part-time fishing or other work. In general, the frequent use of conscripts as laborers on economic projects detracted from military training. They were often used in the construction of factories, oil refineries, and hydroelectric plants; during harvests; and for land reclamation efforts.

Specialized military schools were essentially scaled-down copies of those in the Soviet Union. Three military schools trained officers for the People's Army or provided advanced professional training for mid-career officers. The Skanderbeg Military School was a secondary school that prepared students to enter the United Higher Officers' School. Students at Skanderbeg were generally sons of party, government, and military leaders. The United Higher Officers' School, formerly named for Enver Hoxha, was the oldest military education institution in the country. According to the APL, it began operating before German occupation forces left the country in 1944 and initiated a formal curriculum in 1945. Its graduates received a university degree and became commissioned officers. The Military Academy, once named for Mehmet Shehu, was an advanced institution offering training equivalent to that of command and staff schools or war colleges in Western military establishments. It provided specialized officer courses for pilots and those serving in artillery units or aboard ship.