Senior enlisted leaders from NATO nations have been briefed at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on the Alliance’s approach to readiness and decision-making, according to NATO.
The visit took place on 19 January during the third NATO National Command Senior Enlisted Leaders Symposium, which brought together senior non-commissioned officers from across the Alliance. During the symposium, the group received briefings from the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, and the Director General of the International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Remigijus Baltrėnas. NATO said discussions focused on the central role played by non-commissioned officers in maintaining readiness at the tactical level.
Addressing the participants, Admiral Cavo Dragone highlighted the importance of senior enlisted leaders in shaping operational effectiveness.
“Your insights shape training realism, readiness assessments, discipline, and moral resilience. You detect problems often before they reach the formal chain of command. In a prolonged war, early detection can mean survival,” he said.
He added: “NATO’s credibility depends on whether soldiers can fight tonight, not just plan for tomorrow.”
Lieutenant General Baltrėnas briefed the group on how the NATO International Military Staff supports the Military Committee in implementing its decisions. He outlined the staff’s role in providing strategic military advice and coordinating follow-on action across the Alliance.
“The role of the IMS is to provide the best possible strategic military advice and staff support for the Military Committee,” he said.
He added: “It is responsible for preparing assessments, studies on NATO military issues identifying areas of strategic and operational interest, and proposing courses of action.”
The symposium, hosted by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, is intended to provide a forum for senior NATO non-commissioned officers to exchange experience, strengthen professional development and improve collaboration. NATO said the event supports ongoing efforts to train, educate, mentor and develop the NCO corps, while reinforcing their contribution to command decision-making across the Alliance.
