Deterrence and defence depend on more than capability. They depend on people.
Across the Alliance, NATO’s enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers are adapting every day to new demands, new technologies and a changing security environment. Their work is where readiness is built, where interoperability takes shape and where transformation becomes practical.
Our greatest capability is our people. When personnel understand what we are building, why we are building it and what role they play, they bring initiative, ownership and practical ideas to the mission.
– Sergeant Major Remigijus Katinas
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
Turning Transformation into Action
Transformation is often discussed at the strategic level, but it becomes real through daily action. Enlisted personnel and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) operate systems, test new approaches, train with Allies, and provide feedback on what works in practice.
Sergeant Major Katinas described officers as generally focused on planning, while enlisted personnel and NCOs are often responsible for execution. At senior levels, experienced NCOs also help develop junior personnel, advise leaders, and translate strategic direction into practical understanding.
That role is increasingly important as warfare changes. Russia’s war in Ukraine has shown that personnel at lower levels may have limited time to wait for detailed orders. They must understand the commander’s intent, exercise initiative, and make decisions in complex conditions, decisions that can save lives.
“Transformation is not only about modernization or small adjustments,” the ACT’s Command Senior Enlisted Leader said. “It is about changing our mindset, understanding why change is necessary and helping our people see how they contribute to it.”
Making Every Capability Count
One of NATO’s central challenges is learning how to achieve more with what it has. Sergeant Major Katinas offered a simple example: if it was once acceptable to hit a target three times with five rounds, the future may demand five hits with five rounds. The point is precision, discipline, and professionalism.
As the operating environment becomes faster and more demanding, NATO’s advantage will depend on personnel who can make every capability count. Those tools and systems only deliver their full value when people can employ them wisely and effectively.
This changes how NATO should think about education and training. As Katinas explained, the requirement is no longer only to prepare personnel to endure the battlefield, but to succeed on it. “The old methods and programmes worked well in past wars and conflicts. But to win, and even to survive, future fights, we must adapt and evolve”, Katinas said. “Today, NATO must prepare them to fight and win.” That means finding ways to add new skills, including through technology and artificial intelligence, while continuing to build core military competence. “We cannot simply remove or reduce training. We have to find new ways to put more in, because the future will demand more from every soldier.”
Leading in a New Operating Environment
Emerging technology is changing what enlisted personnel may be asked to do. Drones, autonomous systems, data tools and artificial intelligence are becoming part of the operating environment. Even junior personnel may employ systems that require judgment, discipline, and ethical decision-making.
“A young service member may now lead a machine, not only people,” explained Sergeant Major Katinas. “But responsibility still belongs to the human. We must educate our people to make the right decisions, including ethical ones, when they use these tools.”
Younger personnel are often ready to test new technology and new ways of working. Leaders must guide that initiative, create room for responsible innovation, and keep creativity connected to mission, discipline, and accountability.
Interoperability Starts with Understanding
For NATO, interoperability is often discussed in terms of equipment, systems, and procedures. From the enlisted perspective, it begins with people.
Before systems can work together, people need to understand the mission together. Interoperability starts with a common understanding of the problem and goals to achieve.
– Sergeant Major Remigijus Katinas
Command Senior Enlisted Leader
That understanding must extend to the unit level. NATO exercises are where personnel from different nations, languages, and military cultures learn how to work together. This human dimension is essential for an Alliance of 32 nations.
Listening to Those Closest to Execution
Transformation also depends on NATO’s ability to learn from personnel closest to operational reality. Enlisted personnel and NCOs can help identify what works, what does not, and what should change.
“Some of the best ideas come from the people closest to the problem,” he said. “We have to listen to them, assess their ideas and be ready to use what works.”
As Allied Command Transformation’s Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major Katinas’ message to young, enlisted personnel is direct: NATO’s strength is built by the people who serve within it.
“WE are NATO,” he said. “There is no additional force waiting behind us. Every person has a role in the Alliance’s defence, and every person must be ready to carry that responsibility with discipline, skill and commitment.”
NATO’s future readiness will depend on advanced capabilities, modern systems, and credible plans. But those capabilities will only matter if the Alliance has people trained, trusted and prepared to adapt them. Transformation becomes real through those people every day.