The partnership program between the Unteroffizierschule des Heeres (German for Noncommissioned Officer School, USH) and the 7th Army Training Command (7ATC) Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) has provided a critical link between the two schools since 1992. Over the last 34 years, both institutions have provided the other with insight into how noncommissioned officers of both militaries’ are educated in the crucial task of leading their Soldiers. The most recent exchange between the two schools helped strengthen the bond between two groups of NCOs.
A group of 20 students from the 7th ATC NCOA Basic Leader Course Class 009-2026 visited the USH during the semi-annual Field day event Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, 2026, in Delitzsch, Germany.
For the U.S. Army Soldiers and NCOs, this event provided a valuable insight into the life of a German NCO in training. It included living in German barracks, eating at their dining facility, and having a German NCO battle buddy. According to German Army Captain Marc Meissner, the 12th Inspection executive officer, getting a glimpse of each other’s daily life strengthens interoperability between the two nations.
“It is important that they (U.S. and German NCOs) know how to train together and interact in this environment,” Meissner said. “It is important for us to know how our Allies train and how they lead.”
The week kicked off with the U.S. NCOA students demonstrating for their German counterparts how to provide Soldiers with a block of instruction. Each NCO gave a five-to-seven-minute class on leadership and an exemplary historic U.S. NCO. Their German counterparts reciprocated by providing classes of similar length designed to provide insight into how the German army is structured and how their NCOs are developed.
Following the classroom instruction came the first physical and communication challenge of the Field Days, a one-mile log run. The German and U.S. NCOs were divided into five tieams, each having to carry a five-meter log through several stations along the route. At each station the teams completed a task including navigating obstacles, pushing a vehicle, carrying a casualty, throwing a grenade, and loading and unloading military equipment from a German transport vehicle.
“I enjoyed communicating with my German counterparts and learning how to navigate the obstacles,” said U.S. Army Spc. Zayanette Nieblas, a unit supply specialist assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment. “We each have strengths and weaknesses but together we were able to work as a team… it’s important to build these connections and come together.”
The U.S. Soldiers had the chance to familiarize themselves with German weapons systems on the second day of the visit. The German NCOs provided their counterparts with one-on-one instruction on several weapons systems including the G36 rifle, P8 pistol, MG3 machine gun, MP7 machine pistol, and Panzerfaust anti-tank launcher. The NCOA students also trained using a weapons simulator to provide extra practice on the P8, something that would prove valuable the following day.
On the third and fourth day of the exchange, the group split into two groups with one group of German NCOs coaching their U.S. Allies through the German Army Weapons Qualification, the Schutzenschnur. Each NCOA student completed the standard German Army weapons table including firing the G36 rifle and P8 pistol from various distances at a static target. For many of the U.S. Soldiers, this opportunity could prove useful in the future.
“The ability to work with foreign weapons systems, especially when working in a foreign country, is valuable because you never know what might end up happening out in the field,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Blake Jennison, a mortar infantry NCO assigned to 2nd Cav. Reg. “If we are working with one of our NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Allies and our weapon system goes down, the ability to use one of theirs is very valuable to our missions.”
Also on the third and fourth day, while one group of NCO's was shooting, the other conducted U.S. Army Physical Readiness Training or a rope climbing course. On the third day, German NCOs learned how U.S. NCOs conduct multiple PRT drills with their Soldiers. On the fourth day, German and U.S. NCOs alike conducted a four-event rope course that included a commando crawl, rope net climbing, and rappelling.
“This experience is very beneficial for our personal experience to learn about other cultures, how other people live, and what they do on a daily basis,” said German Army Sgt. Ben Alkert, a mechanized infantry soldier assigned to 411th Mechanized Infantry Battalion. “We as Allies in NATO need to know how the other works and how they conduct themselves.”
The final day of the exchange in Delitzsch brought one last physical challenge for the international NCOs, running an obstacle course three times. First, the German and U.S. battle buddy teams ran the obstacle course once for familiarization and once for time. The final run of the obstacle course was conducted in the log run teams, with each NCO carrying a weapon, protecting three eggs as simulated sensitive items, and leading a teammate wearing blinding goggles to simulate guiding a wounded comrade.
“Training like this is beneficial because it increases interoperability amongst our forces and it enables our young NCOs to learn how a foreign military trains its NCOs,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Thompson, the chief of training at the 7th ATC NCOA. “The log run and obstacle course are favorites during this visit because it increases interaction between the soldiers.”
While the students of BLC Class 009-2026 departed for Grafenwoehr Training Area shortly after the obstacle course event concluded, this was not the last time the battle buddies would see each other. On Sept. 24, 2026 the German NCOs traveled to GTA to take part in the BLC graduation ceremony and to preset their U.S. Allies with their Schutzenschnur certificates and badges. As the partnership between the two schools enters its 35th year in 2027, Command Sgt. Maj. Errol Brooks, the 7th ATC NCOA commandant, expressed his hope for continued and increased cooperation in the future.
“I am proud of these German and U.S. NCOs for all they accomplished during the Field Days and look forward to seeing future classes enjoy the same camaraderie in the future,” Brooks said. “Getting to train side by side ensures that we are stronger together, both now and in the future.”
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