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U.S. Africa Command

Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force speaks during the 7th Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference in Rabat, Morocco on June 11, 2025. The conference, held from June 10–12, brought together over 130 senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and 30 African nations to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and build multinational partnerships. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels 

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U.S. Africa Command

Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force speaks during the 7th Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference in Rabat, Morocco on June 11, 2025. The conference, held from June 10–12, brought together over 130 senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and 30 African nations to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and build multinational partnerships. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels 

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U.S. Africa Command

Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force speaks during the 7th Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference in Rabat, Morocco on June 11, 2025. The conference, held from June 10–12, brought together over 130 senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and 30 African nations to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and build multinational partnerships. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels 

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U.S. Africa Command

Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force speaks during the 7th Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference in Rabat, Morocco on June 11, 2025. The conference, held from June 10–12, brought together over 130 senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and 30 African nations to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and build multinational partnerships. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels 

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U.S. Africa Command

Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force speaks during the 7th Africa Senior Enlisted Leader Conference in Rabat, Morocco on June 11, 2025. The conference, held from June 10–12, brought together over 130 senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and 30 African nations to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and build multinational partnerships. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels)

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Photo by: Staff Sgt. Emely Eckels 

RABAT, Morocco – June 12, 2025 — On the final day of the 7th annual Africa Senior Enlisted Leaders Conference (ASELC), Dr. Jason “JW” Womack, Senior Director for Organizational Engagement and Leader Development for the U.S. Space Force, delivered a keynote that resonated with senior enlisted leaders from Africa and the United States.

Held June 10–12 in Rabat, Morocco, and co-hosted by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and U.S. Africa Command, the conference brought together over 130 noncommissioned officers from 30 African nations and the United States to exchange best practices, discuss shared challenges, and strengthen multinational partnerships under the theme: Resilient, Adaptive, Transformative. Dr. Womack’s presentation served as a compelling capstone to the event, challenging attendees to rethink how their forces develop individuals and organizations in tandem, rather than in isolation.

Titled The Seven Principles of Individual and Organizational Strength, Womack’s 25-minute session addressed the global challenge of creating military teams where personal growth aligns with mission effectiveness. Drawing on years of research and leadership development experience, he introduced a layered framework for building cohesive, high-performing units. The foundation of his approach emphasizes self-awareness, alignment with purpose, and social connection. These elements, he explained, help foster resilient individuals who can make sound decisions under pressure and stay grounded in values that transcend organizational politics.

He then explored the importance of enhancing leadership insight through contextual intelligence and heritage wisdom. He encouraged attendees to examine their operational environments carefully and to draw strength from their military traditions and cultural legacies. Finally, he looked to the future, advocating for the development of strategic partnerships and cultivating future readiness—arguing that strong relationships should be built before they are needed, and that adaptive forces will be the most capable in unpredictable environments.

Throughout his presentation, Womack made clear that his framework was not a prescriptive American model but a set of universal principles that can be adapted to each nation’s unique leadership culture. He noted that self-awareness looks different in communal versus individualistic societies, and that heritage wisdom takes on different forms depending on a nation's history and values. Rather than prescribing change, he urged leaders to reinforce what already works—by grounding it in intentional growth and cultural continuity.

Womack’s session included an interactive reflection exercise, prompting participants to assess areas of connection and disconnection in their own units. He concluded by challenging leaders to engage their teams in two conversations: which principle needs strengthening on a personal level, and how personal development can support broader organizational goals. He emphasized that leadership development is not a one-time event, but an ongoing practice that builds resilience, adaptability, and unity over time.

Other sessions on the final day included panels on African Leadership 2030 and What’s Next for African Enlisted Development. Participants responded to Womack’s message with discussion and reflection on its key themes.

As ASELC 2025 drew to a close, Dr. Womack’s keynote left a lasting impression. His call to invest in connection, culture, and continuous leadership growth offered participants a fresh perspective on strengthening their forces—not just for today’s challenges, but for the generations of enlisted leaders to come.