NATO'S Nucleus: What Is SHAPE?

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, or 'SHAPE', plans and directs NATO operations.

Based only a few kilometres outside Mons in Belgium, it is close to the spot where the First World War started and ended.

Today, it is where the decisions of NATO governments are translated into modern military action.

SHAPE is home to Allied Command Operations – NATO's central military command.

From here, missions across the world are planned and controlled.

Britain is among the 29 Alliance members represented there. SHAPE’s British Forces community is more than 600 strong.

Its senior national representative, Colonel John Sear, finds NATO’s military nerve centre demanding, but fascinating and good for career prospects.

“We’ve got officers from here going to advanced command staff courses.

"We’ve got senior NCOs being promoted out of here, we’ve got people picking up honours and awards from here and this is not just from SHAPE but across the NATO footprint.”

Royal Navy Chief Writer Nicola Window deals with NATO personnel matters.

Every day, the job allows her to walk six-year-old Henry – one of her two children - to the school bus.

It is one of several things she and her family like about SHAPE.

“They love the fact that we’re not too far away from home either.

"They know that grandparents and aunties and uncles can come and visit and we have people to stay quite regularly.

"If you want a day at the beach, it’s an hour and a half away.

"If you want to go to the forest you can go there.

"If you want to go to a different country, you’re looking at an hour and a half, two hours.”

Nicola’s husband, Petty Officer Graham Window, is also in the Navy and oversees catering for SHAPE’s British community.

A long list of daily responsibilities includes making 140 meals for the British mess.

He can only use Belgian suppliers, which can cause difficulties:

“It may sound strange, but sausages and bacon are always quite a big thing.

"They are very big in streaky bacon out here and obviously everyone likes a fried breakfast so that can get a bit of a contentious issue when I don’t have that UK-style bacon.”

Bacon difficulties aside, Mr Window says being at SHAPE gives him time with his family.

Before arriving there, the Navy had sent him on three nine-month tours in four years.

There certainly appears to be a sense of community for the British in SHAPE. Volunteers open a coffee shop several times a week and parents with toddlers meet at SHAPE House, a community centre on one of the married estates.

Shelly Sully is married to a Royal Air Force policeman and arrived here a year ago.

“A lot of the time we go to parks and stuff so coming to SHAPE House on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is a lifesaver.”

One of the disadvantages of life in SHAPE is that there is not always work for partners.

Anna Hall is the local Army Families Federation representative.

She says SHAPE is better for jobs than many other places:

“Spousal employment here, as in all overseas positions, is a question mark.

"Here in SHAPE, there is more ability to get jobs than anywhere else I think overseas.

"There is a local British primary school here and there are lots of spouses employed there - not necessarily as teachers but as learning support assistants and roles supporting the school.

"We also have EJSU, which is the European Joint Support Unit, and there are jobs for dependents in that role as well.”

The Belgian cost of living is also high but military personnel receive allowances to compensate.

What everyone mentions is the sense of community in SHAPE, something the vast majority say they will miss.