ENSOA

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ENSOA Ecole Nationale des Sous-Officiers d’Active

("Active Non-Commissioned Officers National School")

A general military school created by the French Army in 1963 to train career NCOs (Sous-Officiers) on active service. It is a reorganization of the previous Saint-Maixent NCO School.

As of 2006, the ENSOA also trains reserve NCOs for both initial (= squad leader) and higher-level (= platoon leader) functions. The first reserve promotion sessions were held in July 2006. Contrary to active NCO training which lasts 9 months for new recruits or 3 months for senior enlisted soldiers, reserve NCO training is composed of two two-weeks sessions (one two-weeks session for senior reserve enlisted soldiers).