SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Noncommissioned officers from Allied Joint Force Command Naples conducted a Joint Mobile Training Team (JMTT) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Oct. 16 to 20, 2017. 

Croatian Army Sgt. Maj. Zdenko Karasek led the training team, and the crew provided NCO development and leadership training to 20 peers from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Army. The rest of the training team was made up of four other NCOs from Italy, Spain, Turkey and the U.S.

This was the first JMTT mission this year from JFC Naples in support of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, which directly supports one of JFC Naples’ goals of engaging with partners.  Together with the JFCNP team, members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed such topics as NATO structure and history, ethics and effective communications, counseling, stress management and processes of decision-making. The JMTT is based on other NATO leadership schools.

"The goal of our team was to deliver a basic leadership course to the junior leaders of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Armed Forces to assist in  building up their NCO Corps and creating a relationship network amongst NATO and partnership countries,” said Karasek. "I believe these main objectives were achieved, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all students and to my instructors for their hard work and to the Armed Forces of the host country for their support and hospitality.”

 "I’m amazed that the instructors, in such a short timeframe, managed to convey their knowledge and experience that they have acquired for years,” said Private 1st Class Dzenaida Suvalija. "It was my pleasure and honor to have the opportunity to attend JMTT training.  I’m sure that the knowledge I have gained in the training can transfer to my colleagues, in order to communicate more easily with my NCOs and Officers in order to achieve the best possible results.”

According to JMTT organizers, in addition to successfully delivering an excellent NCO development course, NATO and a valued partner nation strengthened an important relationship.

 

Overall, the JFC Naples JMTT team graduated 20 Bosnian and Herzegovinian troops and fulfilled the motto of the JMTT program: "We train our own!"