The inaugural Peace Support Operations Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Course (PSOSNCOC) started on Monday 1st March.

The course is something of a land mark achievement, evident by the cooperation between PSOTC and the Joint Staff in developing the idea and then further subsequent cooperation involving the Training and Education Command AFBiH (TRADOC).  The course also draws upon instructors from NATO Headquarters Sarajevo and EUFOR.  

The course was developed from first principles using the NATO Training Needs Analysis methodology.  A BiH national training gap was identified for OR8s and 9s and most specifically in support staff functions.  The aim of the course is to educate and train selected NCOs in NATO practices and process and deliver a skills set that enables them to support staff functions in national posts or multinational deployments. The 9-week course will be delivered in  12 Modules.

MSG Samir Zečević and recently promoted MSG Alojz Tovarović, both graduates of the POSO Junior Staff Course, has been the mainstay of the PSOTC’s contrtibution.  MSG Zečević was appointed the Course Director with responsibilities for the design and detailed programming.  MSG Tovarović joined the development team after graduating for the Junior Staff Course in December 2009.

Work on the Course development has started in March 2009 and was coordinated with a Working Group consisted of Senior NCOs, who gave essential imputes for the course curriculum. The development included national and international collaboration.  4th Brigade AFBiH released SM Golić to provide his experience and skills set to the detail of the course planning.  International experience was delivered by MSG Rayk Schultze from The German Bundeswher, who is on secondment to PSOTC for the development and delivery of the course. Latterly, at the initiative of the Centre for Professional Development MSG Zehrudin Šahinović joined the course as a shadow instructor.

Additional invaluable material came from stalwarts of the PSOTC.  Majors Hazim Hodžić and Robert Beljan recent ISAF experience did much to inform and update operational subjects. Majors Semir Julardžija and Fariz Fadžan brought their collective experiences from the Essential Staff Officers Skills Course and the Junior Staff Course respectively, to lesson plans and management of the Course. 

On Tuesday 2nd March 2010, the PSOTC Commandant, Colonel Kenan Dautović, address to participants. The importance of the PSO SNCOC was reinforced by the attendance of the Deputy Chief of Joint Staff AFBiH, Major General Rizvo Pleh. The final key speaker was Commander of the NATO HQSa, Brigadier General John W. Bullard US Marine Corps, who inspired his audience with his thoughts on leaders, leadership and decision making devolved to the lowest level.

Students are 15 NCOs from Armed Forces of BiH and 8 international students from NATO/PfP countries; Ireland, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Armenia.