Photo By Margret Menzies | Peter Brownfeld arrived a little more than a month ago and already has a host of...... read more read more
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VICENZA, Italy - Peter Brownfeld arrived a little more than a month ago and already has a host of people vying for his time as he settles in to his new position.
As the new host nation adviser to Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg, commander, U.S. Army Africa, Brownfeld establishes relationships with local and regional authorities on behalf of U.S. Army Africa. He gathers pertinent information on Italian political affairs to keep the command up-to-date.
Brownfeld, originally from Alexandria, Va., is well experienced when it comes to maintaining diplomatic relations with American and Italian officials. Most recently, Brownfeld served as a foreign service officer in Washington, D.C. Prior to that he worked at the U.S. Embassy in Rome as the chief of the political section’s internal affairs unit, and was the ambassador’s principal adviser on Italian politics.
Vicenza’s unique political affiliations offer a change of pace since different regions in Italy hold diverse political values, and those sometimes vary on the local, regional and national levels.
“When I worked in Rome, my main priorities were working with the Italians on their military commitment in Afghanistan, and seeking to resolve some of the complications we had with our bases in Italy. During that time, we were primarily focused on a small facility connected to the Naval Air Station in Sigonella,” Brownfeld said.
“At USARAF, I will be less focused on Italian foreign policy, and more focused on negotiating with Italian authorities some of our needs and seeking to maintain an institutional relationship to ensure the Army continues to have a hospitable environment within which it operates.”
Working closely with local and regional officials will provide an opportunity to concentrate Brownfeld’s knowledge of foreign affairs to a smaller setting. In addition to briefing USARAF on the local Italian politics, part of Brownfeld’s role includes informative transactions with the U.S. Embassy in Rome on behalf of Army units stationed in Italy. He will also act as the host nation adviser to Camp Darby.
While he is pleased with the current harmonious relationship between Vicenza and the presence of the U.S. Army, he believes there will always be room for improvement.
“An ideal situation would be a local community that understands our mission and supports our efforts as well as an American community that respects Italian traditions and participates in the broad array of cultural offerings we have available here,” Brownfeld said.
Meanwhile, Brownfeld plans to introduce himself to local authorities and seek to accomplish these goals.
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2012 04:16 |
| Story ID: | 90656 |
| Location: | VICENZA, IT |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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