Subscribe
HERAT, Afghanistan - Brig. Gen. Alessandro Veltri transferred authority of the Italian-led Regional Command-West to Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto in a ceremony at the airport adjoining Camp Arena, Herat, yesterday.
RC-West is the joint and multinational NATO command responsible for ISAF missions in western Afghanistan.
After more than six months of intense activity, the "Sassari" Brigade passed the responsibility on to the "Taurinense" Brigade.
As he stood before the assembled troops and the flags of several nations, General Veltri praised the sacrifices the men and women under his command have gone through during their deployment.
"I am proud of what have you done for security, reconstruction and development in the western region," he said. "You have all worked hard and well, showing the utmost sacrifice, placing the good of the country and its population before anything else."
Veltri also took time to welcome General Berto and the troops under his commnd.
"I offer my best wishes to the 'Taurinense' Brigade and Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto," he said. "I truly hope what has been achieved so far may be the starting point for ever greater success."
Veltri said the members of the "Sassari" Brigade, including the various operational components of the Italian armed forces and units from other nations deployed in theatre, leave Afghanistan knowing they performed their mission having demonstrated high professionalism, tenacity and an exemplary humanitarian spirit of self-sacrifice.
Speaking at the ceremony, the commander of ISAF Joint Command, Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, said, "You've laid a sturdy foundation successors can build on - an enduring legacy. You've helped grow capacity of governance, increased development opportunities, and helped the Afghans begin to increase their trust in their security forces."
"More than just building and revitalizing infrastructure for today, you brought the Afghans the tools to prepare them for the future.
The Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams you've trained will keep expanding security capacity long after you've departed. And the police you helped grow are indispensible to Afghanistan right now. The combined team you established will continue to grow stronger and more productive," said Rodriguez.
Among the attendees were the Italian Under Secretary of State for Defense Mr. Guido Crosetto, Italian Air Force generals Vincenzo Camporini, chief of the General Staff, and Tommaso Ferro, Joint Operational Command commander, and numerous Afghan civil and military authorities.
| Date Taken: | 04.21.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2010 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 48451 |
| Location: | HERAT, AF |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 240 |
This work, ISAF leadership in west changes, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT