NATO SOF Mid-Level Leaders Course (STEP2)

1. SOFCOM has created a NATO SOF Professional Education Continuum for the professional development of both SOF Officers and NCOs. Given the global challenges faced by the Alliance, it remains imperative that NATO SOF continue to develop its interoperability and capability, while continuing to grow capacity in a unified and cohesive manner. Beyond weaponry, technology, and numerical superiority, a key differentiator between a NATO SOF Officer and NCO from his threat counterpart would be the ability to apply critical and strategic thinking in a rapid manner, to solve problems as they present themselves on the battlefield.

2.  NATO SOF Mid-Level Leaders Course target audience are OF 3-4 and OR 6-7, serving or preparing to serve as a command team of Special Operations Tactical Group – SOTG or other similar Tactical level SOF or supporting SOF Units.  We also encourage SOF enablers and conventional forces personnel with operational experience at the strategic level; civilians with government experience (e.g., diplomatic, ministerial, information, intelligence, emergency services, or other specialized whole-of-government expertise); or NATO personnel and select personnel from academia, think tanks, etc., with a similar level of experience to SOF and civilian personnel listed above. Each nation/organization is required to request the participation of both Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers. The course will be broken down into two distinct phases:

NATO SOF Junior Leaders Course  (SOTU Level) OR (4-6) and OF (1-3), 

NATO SOF Mid-Level Leaders Course  (SOTG Level) OR (6-7) and OF (3-4)    

NATO SOF Senior Leaders Course  (SOCC Level) OR (7-8) and OF (4-5)

NATO SOF Executive Leaders Course  (Executive Level) OR (9) and OF (6-10)                   

3.NATO SOF Mid-Level Leaders Course target audience are OF 3-4 and OR 6-7, serving or preparing to serve as a command team of Special Operations Tactical Group – SOTG or other similar Tactical level SOF or supporting SOF Units.  We also encourage SOF enablers and conventional forces personnel with operational experience at the strategic level; civilians with government experience (e.g., diplomatic, ministerial, information, intelligence, emergency services, or other specialized whole-of-government expertise); or NATO personnel and select personnel from academia, think tanks, etc., with a similar level of experience to SOF and civilian personnel listed above. Each nation/organization is required to request the participation of both Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers. The course will be broken down into two distinct phases:

a. A Distant Learning phase of 8 weeks of asynchronous self-study via NSOU Black Board LMS platform.

b. A Residential Learning phase of 10 days of residential synchronous guided learning in classroom in various host nations. 

4. Nations will be responsible to provide transportation, accommodation and Per Diem for the duration of the course for their students. Accommodation is available free of charge on base. Students are allowed to use other hotels at the local area with the cost covered by nations. There is no course fee for the students.