As CSEL, SOCM Harrison serves as the principal advisor to his commander, U.S. Army Lieutenant General Eric P. Wendt, 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 August 2018.
As CSEL's, our job is to provide guidance and support to our troops but even more importantly to listen to all members of our commands; officer, enlisted and civilian.
"I couldn't be prouder of my responsibility to the service members within our SOF community in NATO,” said SOCM Harrison. “As CSEL's, our job is to provide guidance and support to our troops but even more importantly to listen to all members of our commands; officer, enlisted and civilian.”
SOCM Andrew Harrison, centre, speaks to troops during a training engagement.
SOCM Harrison joined the Navy in 1988, first attending Hospital Corpsman ‘A’ school before beginning his Special Operations Forces (SOF) career with the U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance forces, serving as a Special Operations medic. Next he joined Naval Special Warfare (NSW) for which he has served various Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) Teams deploying across several operations including Operation Enduring Freedom, the Balkans and spent significant time within the European Theatre of Operations as a Mountain and Arctic Warfare Specialist. SOCM Harrison has also served as the Command Master Chief for NSW Special Reconnaissance Team TWO, SEAL Team TWO, Deputy Commander-SOF at the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan and Special Operations Command Europe. He has won a multitude of high-level awards and decorations for his service as well as attended and instructed various military leadership courses throughout his career.
“A significant part of the CSEL charter is to teach, coach and mentor in the vein of Professional Development - a responsibility that cuts across all grade plates,” said SOCM Harrison. “Great ideas come from all ranks, all levels of responsibility, and as long as we continue to listen to our troops, we instil them with confidence, allow them to grow and learn to become the leaders that will take their respective militaries and this Alliance forward."
NSHQ provides strategic SOF advice, synchronizes NATO special operations activities and enables related SOF capability development in order to deter potential peer state and terrorist threats and defend the Alliance.
Their primary missions are to support NATO Operations and Response Forces, implement the SOF 3C Concept of competition, crisis and conflict, enable NSHQ Operations Coordination Centre to increase situational awareness of national SOF activities across NSHQ and nations, expand partnership activities and align education, training and professional development to priorities.
This is part seven 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.