Photo By Spc. Wyatt Moore | Senior Enlisted Leaders from multiple Indo-Pacific partner nations participate in a...... read more read more
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HONOLULU – In the vast and complex Indo-Pacific region senior enlisted leaders of multiple nations convened for a Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum in Hawaii as part of the Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC) Symposium to discuss the development of non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to prevail in the land power domain.
The Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC) Symposium is a premier forum for Indo-Pacific land force leaders, industry experts, academics, and government agencies. This annual event fosters military cooperation, professional development, and the exchange of best practices. LANPAC promotes dialogue and understanding on shared challenges and facilitates integrated land operations within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility.
The two day forum included bi-lateral engagements from multiple Indo-Pacific senior enlisted leaders with the enlisted leaders of the 25th Infantry Divisions Noncommissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) and Lightning Academy. During the tour of the NCOA foreign enlisted leaders had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the U.S. Armies training of NCOs, the integration of aspects of the NCOA into their own training, and the positive results of consistent and proper training of NCOs.
“We all have an obligation to prepare our non commissioned officers as they lead Soldiers, enable commanders and through confidence and courage, fight and win,” said Warrant Officer Kim Fellingham, regimental sergeant major of the Australian Army. “Therefore, our non commissioned officers need to be well trained, both individually and collectively.”
Following the tour of the NCOA the leaders went to Lightning Academy where the U.S. Army's Jungle Operations Training Course (JOTC) is located. JOTC is a 12 day course designed to teach Soldiers the skills necessary to navigate, fight, and survive in the jungle environments commonly found in the Indo-Pacific region. This allowed for leaders from foreign partners and allies to have a greater understanding of the U.S. Army's training and tactics in the region.
“The modern battlefield it's continuing to change, and the expectation for our NCOs is to absolutely be flexible and adaptable to that change,” said Sgt. Maj. Jay Garza, with U.S. Army Futures Command. “ If we're gonna win the next fight, It's really going to be the non commissioned officer that is going to win that fight for us."
NCOs have existed in the Indo-Pacific Theater since the U.S. Army's first units deployed to the region in 1898. For the last 127 years NCOs have innovated and integrated alongside our partners and allies, conducting joint training operations to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Something we advocate for our NCOs to do is innovate because when you allow NCOs to innovate you see creative ideas come out,” said Chief Warrant Officer Sanjee Singh, sergeant major of the Singapore Army. “But when you allow the senior NCOs and juniors to look at innovation and how training can be conducted in a different way but with safety risks enumerated, you realize that you can meet everything, and that makes the training more interesting and it connects with the soldiers on the ground.”
Senior enlisted leaders also participated in a Senior Enlisted Leaders Panel that discussed the complex issues and responsibilities facing the NCO Corp. During the panel senior enlisted leaders discussed the use and integration of technology in the landscape. And the vital role it plays in training and preparing Soldiers.
“NCOs have to be flexible and adaptable to the latest technologies, to the latest equipment, to the latest concepts, and they have to integrate that into their teams, into their squads,” said Garza. “It's the equipment that those Soldiers are training on right now that are creating the TTPs, that are creating the SOPs and informing larger efforts in our Army.”
Senior enlisted leaders stressed the understanding of not just the technological but also human aspect of the Indo-Pacific theater and the importance of NCOs understanding the human domain, including the many cultures, religions and environments of the region.
“We have to be willing and open to having that dialog and that understanding when we step into someone's area, it's going to be different. The challenges are different. The people and culture are different,” said Fellingham. “So making sure that training goes right down to the NCO level, so that they are well equipped to succeed in that human domain, is really important.”
The panelist all agreed NCOs, as mentors, play a crucial role in developing Soldiers, instilling values, and guiding them through challenges. Fostering a new generation of leaders to take on the challenges of the ever-changing environment.
“If we were to focus more on intangibles like good order, discipline, cohesion, pride, trust,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, U.S. Army Pacific command sergeant major. “I think if we master the intangibles, that will generate the tangible readiness that our army requires.”
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2025 19:41 |
| Story ID: | 498141 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NCOs in the Pacific: Senior Enlisted Leaders Discuss Strategic Dialogue at LANPAC 2025, by SPC Wyatt Moore, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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