Back to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)
OURO SOGUI, Senegal – U.S. Soldiers with the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (2nd SFAB), assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), partnered with the Armed Forces of Senegal to build a more empowered and professional noncommissioned officer (NCO) corps through a tailored development program.
The initiative, spearheaded by Military Advisor Team 2112 (MAT 2112), 2nd SFAB, focuses on empowering Senegalese NCOs to take a more active role in unit operations, improving mission command and strengthening overall unit cohesion.
“The strategic goal is to create a professional, consistent leadership culture that strengthens the Senegalese Army’s operational capacity,” said U.S. Army Capt. Nicolaus Solari, team leader and officer in charge of MAT 2112. “By focusing on foundational leadership at the NCO level, we’re enabling a more self-reliant and capable force that can support regional security and stability operations.”
The program was developed following direct observation of operational gaps during joint training events. MAT 2112 identified that Senegalese companies often relied heavily on officers, leaving NCOs underutilized. In response, the team introduced weekly NCO professional development sessions, peer-led training meetings and leadership discussions tailored to the Senegalese operational environment.
Senior enlisted leadership played a key role in delivering the program. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Kevin Dellinger, team sergeant for MAT 2112, emphasized a collaborative and discussion-based approach over lecture-style instruction.
“We found that Senegalese NCOs responded best to open dialogue,” said Dellinger. “By treating them as peers and tailoring our topics to their concerns, we created a culture of trust and mutual learning. Leadership challenges are often universal — it’s about helping each other grow.”
The program’s early results are already visible. Senegalese NCOs now plan and execute training events, leading small-unit rehearsals and taking initiative in the field — reducing their commanders’ burden and increasing unit flexibility.
“The shift has been remarkable,” Dellinger said. “NCOs who once deferred to officers are now stepping into leadership roles confidently. We’ve seen junior leaders running rehearsals and mentoring their teams with minimal oversight.”
One key innovation was rotating platoon leaders into observation roles during training. This allowed them to see their units operate from a wider perspective and engage in real-time feedback sessions, ultimately helping to refine tactics, techniques and procedures.
The training is also designed to be sustainable and resource conscious.
According to Dellinger, the team aligned instruction with U.S. Army standards while adjusting for local conditions — focusing on field exercises, discussion-based learning and leadership-focused training that didn’t require heavy logistical support.
“This is about expectation management,” Dellinger said. “The Senegalese are disciplined and dedicated. Our goal was to maintain high standards without creating an unsustainable model.”
Junior enlisted advisors from MAT 2112 also played a role in mentorship and daily interaction with Senegalese NCOs. Drawing from experiences with multinational partners in previous assignments, they supported practical leadership discussions and helped reinforce mission command principles.
As Senegal prepares to play a larger role in future regional security efforts, including multinational exercises, programs like this help ensure readiness and interoperability with U.S. and partner forces.
“This training enhances future joint operations by aligning expectations for leadership and decision-making in the field,” said Solari. “It’s a building block toward a more integrated, capable coalition.”
The NCO development initiative reflects SETAF-AF’s long-term approach to security cooperation: partner-led, U.S.-enabled efforts that build lasting capacity.
“Our aim is to develop a self-sustaining force,” Solari said. “When their NCOs succeed, the entire force becomes more capable—and that’s a win for both Senegal and the region.”
About 2nd SFAB
The 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (2nd SFAB) is a specialized U.S. Army unit focused on training, advising, assisting, enabling, and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations. SFABs are designed to enhance the capabilities of foreign security forces, thereby contributing to global security and stability.
About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
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