This panel discusses the evolving role of Senior Enlisted Leaders (SELs) and how they could best be leveraged as the complexity throughout individual Service and Multi-Service organizations has increased throughout the Military Health System (MHS). Opportunities to harness and utilize the SELs influence have been captured over the past few years with expanded professional military education, executive medicine courses, and new doctrine at both the Service and Joint levels. To emphasize the importance of SELs, past experiences in Military Medicine leadership roles have been analyzed with key insights and best practices highlighted. Key areas of focus are leading with and without authorities, decision making, mission command, building relationships, and support to the MHS Directors and/or Commanders. Successful SELs recognize that mission command greatly depends on understanding, intent and trust, which helps ensure a common understanding throughout the force by communicating with all staff members (i.e., military, civilians and contractors) across the organization. Building relationships has become more critical in our complex MHS environment and SELs possess the ability to establish, leverage and foster relationships to grow and maintain trust to harmonize staff as they work together to provide the best care for our Warfighters and their families. As an asset and champion for the MHS, SELs can be a “directed telescope” by providing a grounded “down and in” perspective, while remaining keenly aware of the “up and out” of the organization. Focusing on the “Why” and highlighting the “How to” of the mission, the SEL can be a problem-solver at all levels of the force to shape mission requirements and influence positive change and partnerships across the MHS.