U.S. Army Europe, British Army host 12th annual Conference of European Armies for NCOs

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tamika Dillard | U.S. Army Europe Command Sgt. Maj. Robert V. Abernethy, left, and Sgt. Maj. of British Army Glenn Haughton, right, speaks to senior enlisted from 31 partnered nations across Europe at the 12th Annual Conference of European Armies for Noncommissioned Officers, May 3, in London, England. This year’s three-day event, co-hosted by the British Army and U.S. Army in Europe, focused on the theme of “NCOs: Professional Leaders of Character.” The event encouraged attendees to share ideas, lessons learned, experiences and best practices in building a stronger NCO Corps.  

LONDON , LND, UNITED KINGDOM

05.04.2018

Story by Staff Sgt. Tamika Dillard 

U.S. Army Europe and Africa     

More than 40 senior enlisted leaders from 31 European nations, the U.S. Army Europe and Canada gathered for the 12th Annual Conference of European Armies for Noncommissioned Officers held here May 1-4.

This year’s three-day event, co-hosted by the British Army and U.S. Army in Europe, focused on the theme of “NCOs: Professional Leaders of Character.” The event encouraged attendees to share ideas, lessons learned, experiences and best practices in building a stronger NCO Corps.

Attending the conference after only two weeks into his new position was U.S. Army Europe’s newest senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Robert V. Abernethy.

“I’m still very new here, but after speaking with some of our partner nations, I get a sense that the NCO empowerment inside of each of the armies is something that is moving along,” Abernethy said. “You look at the British Army with more than 400 years of having an NCO Corps and even our American Army with hundreds of years of having a NCO Corps…the great thing about these young NCO Corps is they shouldn’t take 200 years or 400 years to learn all the lessons that we’ve learned in that time.”

“In a few years from now we should see some very effective NCO Corps as long as we stay partnered with them and continue to learn from each other’s militaries,” added Abernethy.

Sgt. Maj. of the British Army Glenn Haughton has attended five CEANCO’s and says that while some of our partners are literally just starting their NCO Corps and many are reinventing their NCO Corps… across the board they all have similar problems and similar frustrations as the [United States and Great Britain] NCO Corps do.

“The most interesting things is that you realize that there are common themes and common strains with every single army regardless of size and regardless of location,” Haughton said. “These conferences are a way for all of us to come together, social network and discuss those lessons learned.”

During the conference, attendees discussed topics such as Army Leadership Doctrine, Leader Professional Development, Combined Training Capabilities and Character Development with the support of junior leaders from the British Army. Senior enlisted leaders also visited British veterans at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and toured the Army Museum. The conference was centered around this year’s theme.

“This conference gave me the opportunity to meet other senior enlisted leaders inside of Europe whom I will be working with over the next three years,” Abernethy said. I was also able to assess were we [U.S. Army Europe] are in terms of character development and NCO leadership development across the board and where we need to go.”

The conference was capped off with a formal British Regimental Dinner and the induction of Sgt. Maj. of British Army Glenn Haughton, Sgt. Maj. of the Norwegian Army Rune Wennesberg and Croatian Command Sgt. Maj. Dario Rosic into the Sergeant Morales Club . The distinguished guests for the dinner were U.S. Army Europe Commanding General Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli and Chief of Staff Field Army British Army Maj. Gen. I.B.L. “Ivan” Jones.

“Character development is the foundational building block from which everything is built,” Abernethy said. “If that is broke or if that is fragile then everything else is for nothing.”


Photos from Conference of European Armies for NCOs can be found on the U.S. Army's FLICKR page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/usarmyeurope_images/sets/72157693263164902

• Date Taken: 05.04.2018
• Date Posted: 05.07.2018 07:38
• Story ID: 275951
• Location: LONDON , LND, GB