Inauguration Ceremony of Command Senior Enlisted Leaders’ Course

On 24th of September 2019, the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) held an Inauguration Ceremony of the Command Senior Enlisted Leaders’ Course (CSELC). The ceremony was honoured by the attendance of several distinguished guests.

SGM Meelis Koger, Course Director of CSELC, stated in his inauguration speech that the course is a truly unique one as it is the very first strategic level CSEL course in NATO focusing on the security and defence concerns of the Baltic Sea region. He promised that CSELC 2019 will be a challenging and demanding one. SGM Koger thanked everyone who have been involved in developing and designing the course and declared the course officially open.

It was a great honour to have General Tod D. Wolters, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), deliver the keynote speech of the opening ceremony. SACEUR held an inspiring lecture on Command Leadership on Strategic level and CSEL role in it. GEN Wolters noted that Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSELs) form a critical aspect of leadership within the Alliance and education, like the BALTDEFCOL CSELC, plays a vital role in the readiness of these leaders for 21st century asymmetrical challenges. NCOs at all levels are contributing to the leadership domain in ways not seen in the past which has been an important Force Enabler for expanding their sphere of influence and scope of responsibilities in the future.

Supported by the Nordic and Baltic states Chiefs of Defence and mandated by the Baltic states Ministerial Committee, BALTDEFCOL has established CSELC to bridge the gap in the educational field for top-level Senior NCOsin Northern Europe. The aim of the CSELC is to prepare CSELs to effectively advise, support, influence and enhance strategic level leadership’s decision making to meet anticipated political and security challenges within a dynamic and complex Baltic Sea regional environment. The Pilot CSELC is delivered in Autumn 2019.

CSELC 2019 has 13 participants from 8 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and USA. The curriculum of Pilot CSELC consists of 3 modules: Strategic Leadership, National Security, International Security and a preparatory Advanced Distance Learning module.

Opening of the CSELC marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of BALTDEFCOL as in addition to officers and civil servants, the very first Senior NCOs/CSELs will soon hold the Course Certificates from the Baltic Defence College.