HOHENFELS. Germany -- Sergeant 1st Class Dalibor Navacikic is no stranger to training and leading soldiers. During Navacikic's 13 years as an infantryman in the Serbian Army, he has attended the U.S. Army's Warrior Leader Course (WLC) as well as the Serbian Special Forces course.
He is currently leading an infantry squad in a multinational exercise Combined Resolve IV at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, May 12-June 6.
Navacikic joined the Serbian Army in 2002 as a non-commissioned officer and spent his first three years as an instructor at the basic infantry school. In 2006, Navacikic spent three months at the special forces selection course and was assigned to the 63rd Parachute Battalion (Special Forces).
In 2009, his commanding officer approached Navacikic about attending WLC at the U.S. Army's NCO Academy in Grafenwoehr, Germany.
"The tactics at WLC were similar to what I learned in Serbia," said Navacikic, "But the training was very good, the environment allowed me to learn a lot."
While at WLC, Navacikic said that he bonded with his American peers and they learned a lot from one another. He believes his knowledge from WLC helped improve each unit he has been assigned to since.
"At WLC I learned how to teach and train my soldiers and peers better and I have used my experiences to make my units better," said Navacikic.
Leaders from the Grizzly Observer/Coach/Trainer (OCT) team at Hohenfels immediately took notice. After an impressive display of infantry tactics by 1st Company, 31st Infantry Battalion, OCTs asked where those tactics were learned, the soldiers pointed at Navacikic.
Despite a successful career, Navacikic decided to leave the special forces in 2014 to join the 31st Infantry Battalion in order to be closer to home and near his wife and young daughter.
"I don't know if the Army will be my career, but I will stay as long as I have a passion to lead the men and women in my squad," said Navacikic.
Navacikic is one of approximately 100 Serbian soldiers taking part in multinational training during Combined Resolve IV.
Combined Resolve IV consists of more than 4,700 participants from 13 NATO and European partner nations and focuses on maneuver training and force-on-force exercises. It is an Army Europe directed exercise training a multinational brigade and enhancing interoperability with allies and partner nations. Combined Resolve trains on unified land operations against a complex threat while improving the combat readiness of all participants. The Combined Resolve series of exercises incorporates the U.S. Army's Regionally Aligned Force with the European Activity Set to train with European Allies and partners.
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