US NCO selected for international training course

NAPLES, ITALY

11.04.2010

Story by Capt. Jennifer Hunnicutt 

Allied Joint Force Command Naples     

NAPLES, Italy -- U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Lia Toader, Joint Forces Command Naples, Office of the Commander, supply clerk, attended the Intermediate Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Course hosted by the Swiss Armed Forces as a part of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program in Sion, Switzerland, Oct. 25 - Nov. 5.

Having previously shown interest in attending, she was selected by Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, former commander of JFC Naples, as the sole representative from JFC Naples to enroll in the course.

In an international environment, the participants had the opportunity to learn leadership skills, enhance their cultural awareness, develop personal communication skills and apply these skills in practical work and terrain exercises.

It was as much a cultural exchange of ideas and values as it was a training course, according to Toader. Thirteen nations took part to include: Greece, Slovenia, Slovakia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Romania, United States and the first ever student from Iraq

The course was executed at the Swiss Junior NCO Training Center Sion, and designed for NCOs who assume positions as military leaders at company level.

Among the main topics offered were: effective communication, the counseling process, situational leadership II, intro to specific rank functions for mid-level NCOs, rules of engagement and use of force, ethical behavior, and stress management, human trafficking, equal opportunity and sexual harassment.

At the end of the course the students had the opportunity to apply and test what they had learned in an exercise.

Toader said “I very much enjoyed the experience and hope to be selected to return to the course as an instructor early next year.”

• Date Taken: 11.04.2010
• Date Posted: 11.29.2010 10:36
• Story ID: 61017
• Location: NAPLES, IT