The NATO flag is raised during the opening ceremony for Exercise Steadfast Jazz here Nov. 3. Exercise Steadfast Jazz 2013 is taking place from Nov. 1-9 in a number of Alliance nations including the Baltic States and Poland. The purpose of the exercise is to train and test the NATO Response Force, a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and special forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly wherever needed. The Steadfast series of exercises are part of NATO’s efforts to maintain connected and interoperable forces at a high-level of readiness.