GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- Historically, armies in Eastern Europe, Africa and
Afghanistan have relied heavily on their officers to make decisions even at the lowest
tactical level. But with the asymmetrical face of warfare today, some nations are looking
to empower their noncommissioned officers to make the immediate on-the-ground
decisions that affect front-line Soldiers in battle.
"On this warfront, who is out on the convoys?" said Sgt. Maj. Mariusz Piwonski,
sergeant major of Polish Land Forces. "It is the NCOs. They are the ones out there
making the big decisions, the decisions that affect the lives of Soldiers."
This and other topics were addressed at a three-day conference June 20 at Grafenwoehr,
Germany, that brought together 30 sergeants major from across Europe and Eurasia to
meet for the first-ever Conference of European Armies for NCOs.
In line with U.S. Army Europe's commander's intent of building tomorrow's coalitions
and leaders, the conference was designed to bring leaders from different armies together
to exchange ideas, network and engage in open discussions regarding military matters,
according to Command Sgt. Maj. Iuniasolua Savusa, USAREUR command sergeant
major.
While each year land forces commanders and other top officers from across Europe and
the U.S. Army gather in Heidelberg, Germany, for such a conference, the Grafenwoehr
event was the first of its kind for NCOs.
"We cannot think that this war is all officer business," said Command Sgt. Maj. Mark
Ripka, U.S. Joint Forces Command. "We're going to end up executing the order anyway
-- might as well be involved in the decision-making process."
Nations like Romania, where the second command sergeant major of the army is now
serving, and Slovakia, which its sergeant major said has fully adopted the western NCO
models, are mirroring the NCO corps structure of nations like the United States, Canada
and Great Britain.
"They want the confidence we have in our NCO corps. To me that shows passion,"
Savusa said. "Everyone here (at the conference), I believe, has that passion."
Slovakia sent its army's sergeant major to the U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy and
has used the U.S. NCO structure as a foundation for its corps because it believes it is
important for all coalition partners to follow the same standard, said Sgt. Maj. Richard
Fabricius, sergeant major of Slovakian armed forces.
"It is important because when you have two platoons from two different nations going on
the same raid, you can assume NCOs from both platoons will have a mutual grasp of
what the NCOs' responsibility is," Fabricius said.
The conference included discussion panels, a tour of the Joint Multinational Training
Command Warrior Leader Course facilities, and a demonstration of convoy live-fire
training, where U.S. Soldiers reacted to an improvised explosive device and engaged
pop-up targets.
"This conference is perfectly located at JMTC, USAREUR's jewel, where we send
Soldiers from other nations through our NCO education system to enhance their
commands," Savusa said.
The Conference of European Armies for NCOs will be an annual event slated to happen
again in April 2008, according to conference organizers.
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PHOTOS WITH CUTLINES (3):
DSC 0275a: Sergeants major from nations throughout Europe and Eurasia observe
convoy live-fire training at one of Grafenwoehr, Germany's training ranges during the
Noncommissioned Officers Conference of European Armies June 20-22.
DSC 0326a: A group of Soldiers react to an improvised explosive device during convoy
live-fire training at one of Grafenwoehr's training ranges, as 30 sergeants major from
nations throughout Europe and Eurasia, there for the Noncommissioned Officers
Conference of European Armies June 20-22, look on.
DSC 0149a: Sergeants major from nations throughout Europe and Eurasia observe a
block of instruction at the Joint Multinational Training Command Warrior Leader
Course, as part of a tour of Grafenwoehr's training facilities during the
Noncommissioned Officers Conference of European Armies June 20-22
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