Senior enlisted leaders gather in Greece for CEANCO 2026

Thessaloniki, GREECE — Senior enlisted leaders from across NATO Allied and partner nations gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece, May 5-7, 2026, for the 19th Annual Conference of European Armies for Noncommissioned Officers (CEANCO), bringing together the top noncommissioned officers to discuss regional security challenges and advance enlisted leadership across the force.

More than 50 command senior enlisted leaders representing 32 nations attended the conference, which was co-hosted by U.S. Army Europe and Africa and the Hellenic Army.

The conference was led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Mullinax and Hellenic Army Command Sgt. Maj. Theodora Pappa, who welcomed leaders from across Europe and partner nations to collaborate on shared challenges facing the Alliance.

“The main message of this year’s CEANCO is that non-commissioned officers are a critical factor for readiness, cohesion and operational effectiveness in modern armed forces,” said Pappa. “In an environment marked by increased threats, technological developments and constant security challenges, their role is being upgraded and requires greater initiative, adaptability and leadership.”

A major focus throughout the conference was the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and the role noncommissioned officers play in maintaining readiness and strengthening NATO’s ability to rapidly respond alongside Allied and partner forces.

Senior enlisted leaders discussed lessons learned from ongoing operations and exercises across Europe, emphasizing the importance of combat credible forces, multinational interoperability and leader development in an increasingly complex security environment.

Additional discussions focused on building stronger and more adaptive NCO corps capable of operating in modern warfare environments, including the growing role of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across military formations.

“Our NCO Corps has strategic impact, currently and in the next fight,” said Mullinax. “And if we are going to have strategic impact on the battlefield, we’ve got to have opportunities to come together and learn from each other.”
Throughout the week, attendees participated in panels focused on leadership challenges facing today’s enlisted force, while also sharing best practices between Allied and partner nations. The discussions reinforced the importance of trust, communication and professional relationships among senior enlisted leaders operating together across the European theater.

CEANCO remains the premier forum for senior enlisted leaders across Europe and partner nations to strengthen relationships and ensure the NCO corps remains ready to meet future challenges alongside NATO Allies and partners.