The European Personnel Recovery Centre (EPRC) hosted the Joint Personnel Recovery Staff Course (JPRSC) 26-02 at Poggio Renatico, Italy, from 15 to 25 September 2026. Building on the previous editions, the course brought together 23 students from nine countries for training in multinational Personnel Recovery (PR) staff work.
The students came from Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Spain. They represented air forces, armies and special operations forces, bringing different operational perspectives to the course. Seven external instructors from Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom contributed expertise from air, land and naval services alongside EPRC personnel.
The course focused on the knowledge and skills required to serve within a Joint Personnel Recovery Centre (JPRC) or Personnel Recovery Coordination Cell (PRCC). Interactive lectures and guided discussions addressed PR concepts, doctrine and procedures, while syndicate work and role plays gave participants opportunities to apply them in staff planning and execution. Students worked through the responsibilities of the Director, Senior Watch Officer, Controller, SERE Specialist and Assistant.
The mix of national backgrounds, services and professional experience supported the exchange of approaches to PR planning and coordination. JPRSC 26-02 continued the EPRC’s work to develop common understanding and interoperability among personnel who may be called upon to operate together in NATO, EU or international contexts.
