As part of the Navy's Global Maritime Strategy, Africa Partnership Station (APS) is training Gabonese senior enlisted sailors on noncommissioned officer (NCO) leadership, a one-week course, which is part of an international effort aiming to enhance regional maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa, March 7.



"This NCO leadership course will help to breech the gap between the officers and enlisted in the African navies," said Lieutenant Commander Clement FruFon, training planner and ship rider coordinator for APS.



FruFon, an officer in the Cameroon Navy, was assigned to augment the APS staff as part of the collaborative partnership and international effort of APS.



"The Gabonese are a very open minded group of professionals, they expressed their problems with leadership and were willing to learn new tactics and styles of leadership that would better their future for themselves and their children," said Sgt. Jonathan Silva, APS NCO trainer.



With APS, training in specific areas is requested by the partner countries, and is provided by trainers by the multinational APS staff. APS includes African, European and American Sailors from seven partner countries all on the same staff, working towards a common goal.



"I personally feel that we opened their eyes to the impact and importance of good leadership. It will now be up to those individuals to take charge and utilize the knowledge that we taught them to affect positive change within their units. The younger students in particular seemed hungry for change and determined to go back to their units and implement what they had learned," said Sergeant Rebecca Hass, U.S. Marine Corps, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2, Cherry Point, N.C.



Hass added that it was motivating to see the young leaders excited about learning effective leadership practices.



"I view these students as the future of Gabon's military, and I feel confident they have the necessary resolve to make a difference in the future. However, I believe that with more time, we could have made an even greater impact than we already did," said Hass. "Through interactive classes and discussions, we presented them with the skills they need to be good leaders. It will take dedicated and persistent individuals to make changes and implement the skills that were discussed."



NCO Leadership training is a military training platform that gives leaders a sense of duty and responsibility to their seniors, juniors and to their military in general.



As the ship rider coordinator, FruFon ensures all African military personnel assigned as ship riders are taken care of when they arrive on board, food, logistics and also their training requirements are met while on board, part of the international effort and collaborative partnership from different European and African host nations working together on APS.



Part of the U.S. Navy's Global Fleet Station, APS provides a platform with the capacity and persistent presence to support sustained, focused training and collaboration on a regional scale to maritime partners in West and Central Africa.



Commander Task Force 365 and training teams from various U.S. and European military commands, as well as governmental and nongovernmental organizations are embarked on board USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) to enhance cooperative partnerships.