ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - The Allied Joint Force Command Naples Joint Mobile Training Team conducted a training for Non-Commissioned Officers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 5 to 9.
The JFC Naples JMTT Coordinator, German Army Master Sergeant Kai Osthoff, led a multinational team comprised of volunteer personnel from throughout JFCNP to deliver NATO NCO leadership training to United Arab Emirates Armed Forces personnel. The team for the mission included members from the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy.
The MTT is based on the two-week NATO certified "Intermediate Leadership in a Multi-National Environment” course that is taught at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany and the Swiss Leadership Academy in Lucerne, Switzerland. Although the training is structured towards developing partner nations NCOs at the Other Ranks 6 and 7 levels, the 40 participants at this event were mostly Command Sergeant Majors in the rank of OR-9 from the Emirati Armed Forces. Since the leadership and experience level of the Emirati NCOs was considerable, the JMTT was also able to include syndicate work that involved scenario based problem solving.
One Emirati NCO pointed out that "it was very useful to get more information about improvement of leadership, the decision making process and to learn more about the NATO structure”. He and the other NCOs were also very interested in all the topics including stress management, ethics, cultural diversity and effective communications. Discussions during the entire week highlighted the importance of understanding that there are always other options, no one right way of doing things, and that accepting cultural diversity is the key to effective interoperability.
Emirati Army Brigadier General Hamdan Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Commander of the Joint Operations Command was delighted to have 40 NCOs present in the lecture theatre and stressed the importance of learning from each other as well from NATO. He underlined "the benefit of this experience, planned for every year, and the professionalism of the Joint Mobile Training Team.”
"First of all I want to thank you for providing the lessons. I want to underline the need of preparation and leadership. I am very happy because of the NCOs involvement during your lessons,” lauded Chief Warrant Officer Abdulah Khadim Al Muhairi, CSM of the UAE Armed Forces. "It was an honor for our country to have you here.”
United Arab Emirates is an active NATO partner country, and has been a member of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Framework since 2005. In 2016, the Emirates welcomed the first NATO Mobile Training Teams which were also executed by various directorates from JFC Naples. UAE currently participates in numerous NATO initiatives including multiple NATO exercises, the NATO Defense College, Senior Executive NATO courses and other Key Leader Engagements. The JMTT is a vital part of partnership between NATO and UAE, as it ensures the military partnership is meeting the needs of the Emirati Armed Forces’ and generates partnering activity that is in-line with NATO’s Military Committee’s Direction and Guidance. More broadly it also supports NATO’s broader aims to help build the trust and understanding that will lead to better cooperation in the region while increasing military interoperability for future NATO missions.