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New CSM for KFOR XXVI

Generals, National Representatives, Officers, NCOs, Soldiers, Team KFOR,

It is a great honor and privilege to be here in KFOR.

It is a historical moment for KFOR and for my country to become the lead nation in a NATO mission.

It is a great pleasure and merit to be here and take this crucial position from my predecessor, CSM Andrea Torre from the Italian Army. I appreciate his effort and achievement to create a friendly environment among nations. I'm humbled and honored to continue his job as KFOR Command Sergeant Major.

As a CSM, I have a cardinal role in the command group to represent NCOs and Enlisted personnel from all contributing nations. Simultaneously, I act as a special advisor to the COM KFOR and COS for all NCOs and Enlistee related matters. 28 contributing countries have 28 different views, my goal is to create a shared understanding of the role of the CSM here. As you are all aware, there is no `I` in the team. I cannot do this alone; therefore, I ask you all to build a TEAM that helps to make this mission more straightforward and successful. At the same time, I would create an NCO chain of command including the HQ and subordinate unit NCOs to help COM KFOR`s decision making process in OR related matters.

There is a unique piece of advice: `ASK, or TASK` That means I would ASK all officers in our AOO to support me as CSM and support all NCOs who are the BACKBONE of this mission. At the same time, I TASK all NCOs and Enlisted personnel to provide their knowledge, experience, expertise, and skills to develop the KFOR mission. For these reasons, I encourage you all to keep your heads up, be positive, and keep your physical and mental condition at the appropriate level.

KFOR is an active NATO operation that carries out its mission under a UN mandate to support the country and local authorities' efforts of maintaining a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement. This Operation is remarkable for all of us because it's became the longest and largest NATO mission in history. Nowadays, KFOR is facing multiple challenges and invisible threats such as a pandemic. COVID 19 changed the entire World, also the mission environment. Therefore the force protection and safety measures are the number one priority in our mission environment. Adhering to the COVID 19 preventive measures is an obligation nobody is exempt from them. I highly encourage all officers and Senior Enlisted Leaders to lead with the example to coach and supervise their subordinates to follow the rules and regulations and adhere to discipline.

Our Commander, MG Ferenc KAJARI, and I signed the vision and intent of KFOR XXVI, and our motto is DUTY, RELIABILITY, and COMMITMENT!

Those are strong words, but all who sign up for this mission are on DUTY. We RELY on your expertise, knowledge and experience, and we do not expect more from you than to dedicate your COMMITMENT in your area of responsibility and presence. KFOR is a multinational and multicultural environment, and I ask you to get to know each other, be familiar with our diversity, make friends and create good memories.

Finally, it's a privilege for me and the entire Hungarian NCO system to be the first Hungarian senior non-commissioned officer in charge of the KFOR command. At the same time, I would also like to mention recognition, trust and honor. This step proves that the Hungarian NCO development process and the entire NCO Corps are on the right track and have achieved their ability to lead such a crucial mission. I am humbled to be a leader in this primary task.

I can assure you that I pledge to follow my predecessors' path extraordinarily paved in the past years—especially my Italian colleague from whom I take over this critical role. I will do my best to represent NATO, KFOR, my country, the Hungarian Defence Forces, and myself with dignity.

I wish you all the best and a successful KFOR XXVI mission.

Tamás ZSIROS 

OR-9 HUN-A 

CSM