MONS, Belgium – The 18th annual International Command Senior Enlisted Leader (CSEL) Conference (ICC) was hosted at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) from September 5 to 9, 2022.
Allied Command Operations (ACO) CSEL Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Mathers, Allied Command Transformation (ACT) CSEL Chief Master Sergeant Brion Blais and United States European Command (EUCOM) CSEL Command Sergeant Major Rob Abernethy invited CSELS from Allied and Partner nations around the globe to share their thoughts and experiences with other senior leaders.
Leadership is what will ensure the bravery of our soldiers, and therefore, ensure that they can endure the rigors of modern combat
This year ICC focused on the need for continued relevance and the drive for interoperability and readiness. The pursuit of the best deterrent effect possible is the motivation that keeps our lethal force on our eastern flank ready to protect and defend if necessary.
Over one hundred Command Senior Enlisted Leaders attended the 18th annual International CSEL Conference hosted at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) from September 5 to 9, 2022 - NATO Photo by SHAPE Public Affairs Office
The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Christopher Cavoli was one of the many guest speakers at the event. He emphasised the importance of the role of the non-commissioned officer and strong leadership skills.
“Leadership at the basic level, leadership at the point needs to be strong, committed and mutually respectful,” said General Cavoli. “Leadership is what will ensure the bravery of our soldiers, and therefore, ensure that they can endure the rigors of modern combat. That leadership at that fundamental level, is the job of the non-commissioned officer.”
Having over one hundred CSELs and support staff from more than thirty nations in one room, for one week, provided a valuable opportunity for networking.
“Find the partners, go and have a conversation, find out what it is you can learn from each other and what it is you can provide one another,” said Chief Warrant Officer Mathers. “This is the power of this event, there’s over 1,000 years of experience in this room. It would be crazy not to tap into that. That’s one of my hopes, one of my expectations.”
SHAPE Chief of Staff (COS) Admiral Joachim Rühle, and representatives from EUCOM and the SHAPE Partnership Directorate were also among the many guest speakers throughout the week.
The conference ended with an open forum, which gave CSELs a chance to share what they’ve learned, as well as their final thoughts for the week.
To learn more about the ACO CSEL community visit:
https://shape.nato.int/command-senior
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