Home  /  Newsroom  /  News Archive  /  2013  /  NATO Allied Land Command Deputy Commander visits NRDC-ITA

SOLBIATE OLONA (VA), 11th September, 2013. LTG Gordon K. Messenger, Deputy Commander (DCOM) of the Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) of Izmir, Turkey, visited the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Italy (NRDC-ITA), Solbiate Olona, this morning.

On his arrival LTG Messenger was welcomed by DCOM MG Sir George Norton and by the Chief of Staff of NRDC-ITA, MG Rosario Castellano. His visit is part of the activities conducted by the new Allied Land Command aimed at consolidating the relationship between the two Headquarters. After having signed the Book of Honour, Gen. Messenger met the Senior Representatives of the fifteen contributing nations to the NRDC-ITA, and then received a briefing on the process that is currently undergoing within the HQ in order to acquire the capabilities necessary to perform the new function NRDC-ITA is demanded to perform as a JTF HQ in addition to the traditional roles of Land Component Command and Multinational HQ.

During the visit LTG Messenger could verify the new structures and procedures that are currently being developed in order to be able of conducting joint land-heavy operations and to contribute to NATO overall Level of Ambition.

NATO will evaluate the operational capability of NRDC-ITA as JTFHQ starting from July 2015. This new function through which Italy consolidates it's role within the Alliance will represent an additional Command and Control capability, that will enable NATO to be able to conduct operations in a more flexible joint manner.