MAY 16, 2024 – Lithuanian Command Sergeant Major Darius Masiulis graduated from the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy 20 years ago. During his time there, he was classmates with former U.S. Sergeant Major of the Army, Daniel A. Dailey.
Decades after graduation, Masiulis, the Lithuanian Land Forces’ top senior enlisted soldier, met with over 40 NATO and European command sergeants major in Europe’s seminal senior enlisted meeting.
Together, Masiulis and his colleagues across Europe shared their experiences at the 17th Annual Conference of European Armies for Noncommissioned Officers (CEANCO), held in Albania from May 6 to 10.
“I think CEANCO helps spread the message across NATO countries that each member is important,” said Masiulis, attending CEANCO for the eighth time. “Without our ally’s support… we couldn’t do anything alone.”
The conference was co-hosted by U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s Command Sergeant Major, Jeremiah Inman, and Albanian Land Forces Command Sergeant Major Blerim Çera.
For the Albanian hosts, the conference was an opportunity to showcase their country and the capacity of their NCO Corps.
“Continuing this type of cooperation, especially with the U.S. and NATO and partner countries, will help Albania and the alliance itself,” Çera said.
Representatives from Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, France, and numerous others were among the NATO members attending.
The conference featured an array of panels on a diverse set of topics.
The first day included panels on NCO Development and Best Practices, Mountain Warfare, Humanitarian and Disaster Relief, and Lessons Learned from Operations in Ukraine.
For one such NATO command sergeant major, it was his first time attending a CEANCO.
Michelle Romano, Command Sergeant Major of the Italian Army, has been in his role as the head of the Italian land forces for four months.
“There are many things I have learned,” Romano said. “To go back and talk to the Italian Army NCOs, to talk to my CSMs of other units, to share with them what I learned here, this is important, it is key.”
Breakout sessions during the conference split the senior leaders into four groups, where they tackled the most challenging questions facing today’s security environment. One discussion focused on emerging lessons from large-scale combat operations, whereas another looked at training strategies to empower noncommissioned officers. Indicative of the times, artificial intelligence and drone warfare headlined one of the sessions.
After each breakout session, the groups chose a leader to summarize the dialogue’s results. Regarding artificial intelligence, one leader summarized: “We see it is going to propose problems, but it is also going to be an enabler as well,” explained Canadian Army Sergeant Major, Chief Warrant Officer James Smith. “We are looking at the moral and ethical issues that come with it, but we must keep the human in the loop.”
The conference was also an opportunity to rekindle a long-standing partnership.
The State Partnership Program is a Department of Defense-led program administered by the National Guard Bureau. Since 2001, the New Jersey National Guard has been the state partner of the Republic of Albania. CEANCO was another opportunity to continue that partnership.
The New Jersey National Guard’s Command Senior Enlisted, Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Leonard, met with his long-time Albanian colleagues and headlined the panel on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
“I’ve developed personal relationships with the senior enlisted NCOs and sergeants of Albania, from working with them through the years,” Leonard said. “We are making each other’s countries better, and we are making societies and the world better through our friendships and partnerships.”
This year, the New Jersey National Guard has roughly 40 training events scheduled with Albania.
The conference concluded with a formal dinner and networking event, with promises to continue sharing information throughout the year until the next CEANCO.
Parting words by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command Sergeant Major, Inman, echoed the sentiments of those in attendance.
“I want to thank all our NATO partners and Allies, and for all the folks serving in Europe and Africa,” he continued, “for having the moral courage to stand up and serve their countries, and to the spouses and families who have supported us throughout the years, we couldn’t do it without you.”
Photo and video content from the event is located here: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USArmyEURAF
About U.S. Army Europe and Africa:
U.S. Army Europe and Africa forces are strategically positioned across our 104-country area of responsibility to deter aggression and assure our Allies and partners of the U.S. commitment to peace and stability in Europe and Africa. There are approximately 73,000 U.S. Army personnel assigned and deployed throughout Europe and Africa
For more information about U.S. Army Europe and Africa, visit https://www.europeafrica.army.mil/
By Sgt. Maj. Jeremy Crisp