Photo By Pfc. Justin Hicks | Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, senior enlisted leader, U.S. Army Pacific, left,...... read more read more
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Sept. 25, 2025 — Fifteen of the most influential senior noncommissioned officers and enlisted leaders from across the Indo-Pacific gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the 11th Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum, which took place Sept. 23-25. The event aimed to strengthen cooperation, interoperability, and professional development.
The forum, held alongside the 14th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference and the 49th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar, underscores the importance of enlisted leadership in regional security. It provides a venue for senior enlisted leaders to share perspectives, address common challenges and reinforce the role of noncommissioned officers in mission success.
The theme of SELF 2025 is "Transformation in Contact" (TIC), a strategic initiative reflecting the Army's commitment to continuous transformation—a process of ongoing modernization and adaptation to stay ahead of evolving threats and maintain a competitive edge.
Following an opening ceremony, enlisted leaders gathered for a roundtable event, where Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer opened the dialogue by explaining TIC, its fruition, and its role in continuous transformation.
“Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George’s idea to transform in contact — I immediately fell in love with it two years ago,” Weimer said. “It means you're never finished. You're never done.” He emphasized the need for constant progress.
Weimer further explained how TIC directly affected lower echelons once implemented: “We took software engineers, mechanical engineers associated with new UAS (unmanned aerial systems), and new weapons, and put them in the field.”
While acknowledging the ever-changing landscape of warfare, Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, senior enlisted leader of U.S. Army Pacific, stressed the importance of mastering fundamentals: “As you embrace technology, you still have to remain very skilled at the analog tasks.”
During the visit, the senior leaders toured the Malaysian Army’s jungle training site. “Seeing how our partners operate in austere environments was eye-opening,” said Sgt. Maj. Andrew Porch, chief public affairs noncommissioned officer of USARPAC. “Every time our Malaysian partners walk into the jungle, they are analyzing their environment and identifying new ways to adapt and survive.”
They observed survival training, covering techniques such as fire-starting, trap-making, and foraging for food. The following day, SELF hosted two panel discussions: one on leadership skills for future challenges faced by Pacific land forces, and another on strategies for TIC success.
New Zealand Sgt. Maj. of the Army Dave Adler emphasized the importance of creativity in leadership: “Creativity throughout our system is essential to providing solutions for complex tasks.”
In the second panel, senior leaders discussed the importance of failing fast and failing small. Australian Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kim Felmingham highlighted the need for swift and effective action: “That learning loop needs to be quick, effective, and as short as possible.”
After two days of dialogue, senior leaders agreed that integrating emerging technologies at the lowest levels remains a top priority. However, they also reaffirmed that mastery of basic skills remains the foundation of an effective fighting force.
| Date Taken: | 09.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2025 13:51 |
| Story ID: | 549483 |
| Location: | KUALA LUMPUR, MY |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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