CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – National Guard Soldiers assigned to Regional Command-East of the NATO-led Kosovo Force mission recently hosted an inaugural multinational event for non-commissioned officers (NCOs), focusing on learning and partnership development.
The event, called Jungleer NCO Academy, was held May 8 at Camp Bondsteel. It included NCOs, weapons displays, tactical gear and vehicles from 15 Allied and partner nations, including Great Britain, Slovenia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, North Macedonia, Romania, Croatia, Poland, Albania, Germany, Moldova, Hungary and the U.S.
Additionally, nine multinational command sergeants major and sergeants major from five different nations addressed the attending NCOs, emphasizing the importance of their roles as NCOs and discussing leadership.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Bailey Frasch, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, was one of the non-commissioned officers in charge (NCOIC) of the event. Frasch said the intent of the Jungleer NCO Academy was to bring the Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission’s multinational partners together for a day of learning and partnership development.
“The motivation behind the Jungleer Academy was to do something that KFOR has not done before,” Frasch said. “I consider the day a success because of the amount of participation. Everyone was thankful and expressed how much they learned.”
The U.S. Army considers non-commissioned officers as its backbone. NCOs are responsible for ensuring that Soldiers’ needs are taken care of while also mentoring, training and motivating them. NCOs also instill discipline in Soldiers and provide them with support and guidance.
The Kosovo Force mission comprises more than 30 troop-contributing nations that provide the peacekeeping mission with non-commissioned officers who have leadership experience and diverse skill sets. The U.S. contingent assigned to KFOR’s Regional Command-East, or RC-E, recognized the unique diversity within the KFOR mission as a great opportunity to conduct interoperability training on a different platform. As a result, the first multinational Jungleer NCO Academy was born.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Zagyva, the RC-E command sergeant major, presided over the event and saw his vision for the Jungleer NCO Academy come to life.
“I truly believe Sergeant is the most important rank in the NCO Corps,” Zagyva said. “It’s where the rubber meets the road and where Soldiers learn what it means to be a leader and take care of troops. I am so grateful for everyone who worked hard to make the Academy a success. Without the hard work of the dedicated Soldiers of Regional Command-East, this would not have been as successful.”
After the presentations were complete, Soldiers participating in the event went in small groups to visit display stations to learn about other nations’ weapon systems, vehicles and capabilities.
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Elizabeth Christner, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, also was NCOIC of the event. She was very proud of the RC-E Soldiers’ hard work and collaboration during the Academy.
“My favorite part was witnessing the dedication of senior leaders, and the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Soldiers’ willingness to learn, share experiences and discuss their professional growth with other countries,” Christner said. “This experience highlighted how our diverse backgrounds and capabilities are strengths that enable us to achieve a common mission and make us better people.”
KFOR RC-E’s Task Force Aviation also contributed to the success of the Jungleer NCO Academy in many ways, including providing a venue in one of its Aircraft Large Area Maintenance sites, providing UH-60 Black Hawk flights and allowing the NCOs to be hoisted as part of a simulated aerial medical evacuation.
Although all the Jungleer NCO Academy Soldiers came from different nations, assigned battalions and ranks, they all shared similarities. They all gained knowledge or a new experience.
Slovenian OR-8 Marija Kerčmar, a Kilo 6 Liaison monitoring team leader, expressed positive feelings about the event.
“My favorite part was the presentations from the different NCOs,” Kerčmar said. “The hoist and the helicopter ride [were] great. Everything was presented on a very high level and relaxed and friendly.”
NATO and the KFOR mission would not be successful without multinational collaboration, interoperability and cohesion. The Jungleer NCO Academy successfully showcased RC-E’s dedication to the KFOR mission.
Frasch and Christner not only enjoy working with Allies and partner forces, but they also expressed the importance of working together as NCOs.
“It is vital to understand the important role every non-commissioned officer plays in developing future leaders and driving mission success,” Christner said. “Personally, this experience reinforced the idea that together, we are stronger.”