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Command Senior Enlisted Leader  /  Information  /  Meet your ACO CSELs: CWO Shaun Prendergast

Sep 18 2020

Meet your ACO CSELs: CWO Shaun Prendergast

SHAPE, Belgium – Canadian Army Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Shaun Prendergast serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) of NATO’s Intelligence Fusion Centre (NIFC), located at RAF Molesworth in the United Kingdom.

As CSEL, CWO Prendergast serves as the principal advisor to his commander, US Army Colonel John Yorko, on matters affecting non-commissioned members (NCM) in the Alliance, while providing the command’s force structure and staff with NCM and junior officer development, utilisation and engagement. He has been in the position since July 2018.

It is truly an honour to serve the men and women of the Alliance in my role as NIFC Command Sergeant Major; People first, Mission Always

"The men and women within the NIFC continue to impress each and every day as they continuously strive to provide timely, accurate and relevant Intelligence to all levels of Command throughout the Alliance,” said CWO Prendergast. “It is truly an honour to serve the men and women of the Alliance in my role as NIFC Command Sergeant Major; People first, Mission Always”

Born in Pembroke Ontario, Canada, CWO Prendergast enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) primary reserves in February 1988 as an Infantryman. In September 1993 he transferred to the regular force into the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineer (RCEME) branch. After serving 8 years as an RCEME soldier and completing 1 tour to Kosovo, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, he sought out new personal and professional challenges and re-mustered under the VOTP program in 2000, to the Canadian Intelligence Corps (C INT C). CWO Prendergast has deployed on multiple overseas operations to include Kosovo in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001 & 2004 as a member of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in 2008 as a member of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), and in 2012 and 2013 as a member of NATO Special Forces Intelligence Branch (SOIB). He has also deployed on numerous domestic operations to include the Ice Storm in 1998, and Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

Canadian Chief Warrant Officer Shaun Prendergast, the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of NATO's Intelligence Fusion Centre (NIFC), poses for an official portrait.

NIFC is a military led, U.S.-sponsored Memorandum of Understanding organisation chartered by NATO's Military Committee. Located in the United Kingdom, the NATO IFC became fully operational in December 2007. The concept of which was to ensure “all source, fused intelligence support to the NATO Alliance.” The NIFC comprises multinational military and civilian intelligence and support professionals from countries within the NATO Alliance and some North Atlantic Council (NAC) approved non-NATO nations. The NIFC is directed by the Military Committee to significantly contribute to, but not replace, NATO Allied Command Operation’s (ACO) key intelligence activities. The NIFC remains outside national chains of command and NATO's permanent and crisis manning structures. The NATO IFC falls under the operational command of SACEUR through his Deputy Chief of Staff Strategic Employment.

This is part ten of a SHAPE Public Affairs series, introducing CSELs within Allied Command Operations. Following highlights will include CSELs from: NATO Force Structure components, and other units from multiple domains and subcommands.

Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office

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