Partnership builds trusted frontline leaders in Colorado, Jordan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin Harvill
  • 140th Wing Public Affairs
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  Royal Jordanian Air Force senior enlisted leaders arrived at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado, Feb. 4, 2019, for a Non-commissoned Officer National Guard State Partnership Program event.
 
The meeting between Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and Colorado National Guard enlisted leaders aimed to foster strong relationships between forces as well as enhance Jordanian enlisted policy and practices.
 
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Denver Stack, 140th Force Support Squadron base services manager, Colorado Air National Guard spearheaded the event, which featured discussions about National Guard missions, policies, tactics and programs, and emphasized the importance of the enlisted force.
 
Stack and the Jordanians got down to business doing the core work of every NCO: developing new members and helping them build meaningful careers the second they sign their names in defense of their country.
 
“This is an NCO engagement opportunity to foster relationships between our countries and enhance mentoring and career development,” Stack said. “I hope our friends take something valuable away from their visit, as we do when we conduct this business in Jordan.”
 
The Jordanian visitors spoke at length with Army and Air National Guard leaders to better understand how the Colorado enlisted force works in detail, as well as how they foster productive relationships with commissioned officers at all levels of leadership.
 
“We not only discuss, we provide examples to help them develop the NCO corps of the Jordanian Armed Forces,” CONG senior enlisted leader U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William Woods said. “Over the last 15 years of the partnership with Jordan, we have demonstrated and reinforced the value of command teams and the NCO corps.”
 
With this wealth of knowledge at his disposal, one Jordanian senior leader said he left with a new respect, and knowledge, of the enlisted force.
 
“What impresses me most is the great understanding of (the) NCOs’ importance and how they're very trusted to lead,” Royal Jordanian Air Force Chief Saleh Al Harbeshy said. “I am looking forward to taking part in upcoming engagements that I believe are one of the most fruitful events we have with our partners worldwide.”
 
Jordan and Colorado have been SPP partners since 2004.  Through the program, the CONG conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals. This also enables whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader inter-agency work spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.
 
Past collaborations with the JAF include Blackhawk training, women’s roles in the military, and forming the next generation of leaders in Jordan.