Combat Challenge

Participants were required to do burpees for each answer they got wrong during a quiz while taking part in the Police Week Combat Challenge that pit 31st Security Forces Squadron Airmen against U.S and Italian Air Force Airmen and U.S. Army Soldiers attending the Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course on May 15, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. A burpee is a four-count full body exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

Combat Challenge

31st Security Forces Squadron Airmen perform aid on a training dummy to test their first aid abilities during the Police Week Combat Challenge that pit security forces Airmen against Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course teams on May 15, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Participates were tested on treating wounds, applying a tourniquet and other forms of first aid. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

Combat Challenge

U.S. Air Force and Army members work as a team to carrying a teammate on a stretcher to a designated location during the Police Week Combat Challenge that pit security forces Airmen against Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course on May 15, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Endurance and stamina were tested during the event as members were constantly exerting themselves in different ways. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

Combat Challenge

U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and Italian Air Force members carry ammo cans as they run to the next task during the Police Week Combat Challenge that pit security forces Airmen against Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course held May 15, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The combat challenge was a friendly competition to promote teamwork among the service members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

Combat Challenge

31st Security Forces Squadron Airmen engage in a square pushup to build teamwork during the Police Week Combat Challenge held May 15, 2019 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The combat challenge was the first event of the 2019 Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb House)

Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course

Published May 17, 2019
By Airman 1st Class Caleb House
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --

Aviano Air Base held a Joint International Non Commissioned Officer Development Course from May 15-17, 2019. It was a three-day course consisting of classes and workshops as well as a combat challenge. JINDC is designed to integrate the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Italian Air Force service members to grow skills in teamwork and communication. This is the second year the course has been held.

“The course itself was developed after an NCO from Aviano Air Base was selected to go to the NATO NCO course in Germany,” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Fritz, 31st Force Support Squadron Airman Leadership School instructor. “In that course they deliberately follow the guidelines of the NATO NCO Bilateral Strategic Command Strategy. In a nutshell it’s a guarantee that NATO will professionally develop their NCO core, much like the United States military has done for years now. In this, NATO consists of 75-80% of NCOs and the pact is designed to teach NCOs ‘how to think’ not ‘what to think.’”

The first team-building event was the combat challenge course. The JINDC members were split into groups and competed against teams of Airmen from the 31st Security Forces participating in Police Week events. The combat challenge consisted of challenges including a buddy carry, pull ups and Humvee push.

“I loved it,” said Staff Sgt. Tory Cusimano, 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs broadcast journalist. “It was fun and challenging and forced a group of people who had never met to immediately become a team. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

After the combat challenge was finished the teams started the in-class portion of the course. The attendees learned about geopolitics, cultural diversity, and NCO guidelines as well as other topics. There were also multiple working group sessions based around leadership.

“The purpose of this course is to enhance leadership development of Team Aviano's NCOs and to bolster interoperability within NATO,” said Fritz. “In plain language, develop ourselves professionally while also building relationships to work together more efficiently.”

JINDC is important because of the relationships that it helps build. With focuses on leadership, resiliency, and cultural awareness the course creates better service members who can work with others more smoothly. Through courses like JINDC, American service members develop relationships to efficiently and effectively work with our Italian Air Force counterparts and NATO allies.