U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY— -- For the first time, enlisted military members from six partner nations including Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, gathered for an U.S. Air Forces Central Command-led professional development seminar designed to strengthen partnerships, grow core competencies, and improve the ability of coalition forces to operate together across the region, Jan. 5-7.
The inaugural seminar was hosted by Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Joshua J. Wiener, and served as a crucial platform for the military leaders to share their diverse perspectives based on their own experience in their country’s enlisted force.
“This seminar stands as a symbol of our shared commitment, not only to mission success, but also to partnerships, relationships, and to the coalition,” said Wiener. “When we learn together and we really get to know each other, that's when we build lasting bonds that strengthen interoperability and our ability to execute commanders’ intent together. It's about leadership. It's about teamwork. It's about partnership.”
The event also enabled coalition partners to exchange leadership best practices and to strengthen the foundational relationships that are essential for successful multinational military operations.
Throughout the seminar, participants engaged in discussions centered on leadership, followership, mission command, communication, trust, critical thinking, problem-solving, and team building.
For Chief Warrant Officer Wajdi Alzubi, chief master sergeant of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, the seminar reflected a long-standing commitment to advancing enlisted professional development across combined forces. Alzubi has consistently advocated for opportunities that bring coalition enlisted leaders together, recognizing that shared learning environments are critical to building trust, standardizing expectations, and enhancing operational effectiveness among partner nations.
“This professional development is an important step toward building relationships, and even though we wear different uniforms, it reminds us that we’re stronger when we stand together,” said Alzubi.
By learning together in a collaborative environment, the coalition enlisted corps strengthened mutual understanding and trust — key components of effective cooperation in a complex and dynamic security environment. The seminar also underscored the pivotal role enlisted leaders play in navigating cultural and organizational differences to ensure seamless integration of coalition forces.
This seminar represents the initial step in a deliberate, enduring professional development program across the AFCENT area of responsibility. Now planned as a semiannual AFCENT-level engagement and supported by smaller, more frequent seminars hosted by deployed wings, the initiative creates a predictable forum for multinational collaboration, leadership development, and the sharing of best practices.