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As EUCOM’s senior enlisted leader, Roy played a vibrant and vital role in advancing the development of NATO’s non- commissioned officers. As a leader he set the highest standards-- and led by these standards. He worked diligently to forge a pathway to find the ways and means necessary for our NATO NCOs to achieve these very same high expectations.
From front-line troop engagements to one-on-one engagements with ambassadors, ministers of defense and chiefs of defense, Roy was a constant and resonating voice for NCO training, education and experience.
Why is this important? Because we expect our NCO corps to always successfully execute the mission, to carry out assigned tasks and to bring action to achieving the Commander’s vision—for without the actions of the NCO the Commander’s vision is little more than an idle daydream. We expect our NCOS to support their leaders and to provide proper care for our people and their families. We expect our NCOs to be front line leaders and deck plate leaders, leaders who inspire those in their charge to reach their fullest potential. Roy strived each and every day to set conditions for NATO’s NCOs to achieve these high expectations.
Who among us here today has not heard or been reminded of the poet Rudyard Kipling’s declaration that "the NCO is backbone of the Army.” Those words remain as relevant today as when he wrote them 110 years ago as a salute to the British non-commissioned officer.
That NCOs remain the backbone of our forces has never been truer for the Alliance than it is today. NCOs serving under the NATO banner are engaged in executing missions on multiple fronts; both in combat and in building partnerships. But, as ongoing operations in Afghanistan remind us, a strong-back alone is not enough on the modern battlefield.
As the NCO’s "decision space” has continually expanded, commanders increasingly rely on the decision making and cognitive abilities of their NCOs. From convoy commanders to unmanned aerial vehicle sensor operators, it is the fine-tuned balance between a strong back and a strong mind that enables NCOs to carry the day.
In congested and competitive environments like cyberspace—where attacks occur at the speed of light and the fastest attack ship or stealthiest aircraft won’t be enough to carry the day—our NCO’s success, and the success of Alliance forces, will hinge on sharp minds forged through proper balance of technical training, professional education and hard-won experience. Roy advocated, educated and when necessary agitated and irritated leaders at all levels until they committed the resources necessary to prepare our NCOs to succeed in every environment, in every battlespace.
Roy recognized that, for the Alliance, no single group of individuals is more important to the training and development of forces than Noncommissioned Officers. For the manner in which our NCOs perform their duties not only impacts the daily operations of their unit, but also the mission readiness of NATO. Their leadership, and the way in which they lead, cascades across entire generations impacting those who serve today and influencing the way in which they will lead in the future.
Roy sought to encourage the Nations to place NCOs in positions of great responsibility and entrust them with our most valuable resource. By that I don’t mean things such as aircraft that patrol skies or ships that patrol the seas—those are important resources, yes, but really those are simply the tools of our trade. |