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Command Senior Enlisted Leader  /  Information  /  Meet your ACO CSELs: WO1 Mick Stanion

Feb 4 2021

Meet your ACO CSELs: WO1 Mick Stanion

Royal Marines Commando Warrant Officer 1st Class (WO1) Mick Stanion serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), located in Northwood, United Kingdom.

As CSEL, WO1 Stanion serves as the principal advisor to his commander, Royal Navy Vice Admiral Keith Blount, on matters affecting non-commissioned members (NCM) in the Alliance, while part of a team that provides the command’s force structure and staff with NCM and junior officer development, utilisation and engagement. He has been in the position since November 2020.

“It is a privilege to have been selected for the appointment as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Allied Maritime Command, and be part of a team in order to support our military and civilian personnel working in the headquarters,” said WO1 Stanion.

The official portrait of U.K. Royal Marines Commando Warrant Officer 1st Class (WO1) Mick Stanion, the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of NATO's Allied Maritime Command. (NATO Photo by Allied Maritime Command)

WO1 Stanion joined the Royal Marines in 1990; throughout his 30-year career, he has deployed on multiple exercises and operations around the globe operating in desert, arctic, jungle and maritime environments. He has served in a variety of assignments having also attended and facilitated training in a number of international schools. More information on his career can be found here: https://bit.ly/2YFztwU .

“During these challenging circumstances that we are currently operating in, never has the morale, welfare, resilience and professional development of our people been so important,” said WO1 Stanion. “MARCOM personnel have consistently maintained their professionalism, teamwork and excelled at delivering exercises and operations to enable NATO’s permanent maritime deterrence, defence and reassurance.”

MARCOM is the central command of all NATO maritime forces and the MARCOM Commander is the principal maritime advisor to the Alliance. Like its land and air counterparts (LANDCOM & AIRCOM), MARCOM answers directly to NATO’s Allied Command Operations (ACO) which is located in Mons, Belgium.

MARCOM was officially launched on Dec. 1, 2012, to reflect the NATO Heads of State’s decision to create a leaner and more effective command structure. This decision, taken at the NATO Lisbon Summit in November 2010, led to the largest reform in the Alliance since the end of the Cold War and reduced the number of major headquarters from 11 to six. NATO decided to consolidate two maritime commands and concentrate all maritime responsibilities into a single maritime command, MARCOM, located at Northwood, United Kingdom.

NATO’s presence in Northwood Headquarters dates back to 1953, only four years after the creation of the Alliance. That year, NATO decided that its Eastern Atlantic Command would be colocated with what used to be the Royal Air Force Coastal Command. Over the years, a number of NATO maritime functions have relocated to Northwood: NATO Channel command in 1966 and Flag Officer Submarines in 1978. After the end of the Cold War, NATO Eastern Atlantic Command followed the restructuration of NATO’s Command Structure. In 2004, its role evolved to Allied Maritime Component Command (MCC Northwood) together with another MCC in Naples, Italy. During this period, Northwood and Naples shared the responsibility for NATO maritime operations and exercises.

This is part thirteenof a SHAPE Public Affairs series, introducing CSELs within Allied Command Operations. Following highlights will include CSELs from: Allied Air Command, and other units from multiple domains and subcommands.

Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office

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