Milan, 9 December 2019. Today, in the Palazzo Cusani, a ceremony took place marking the change of command of NRDC-ITA.
Following on from a salute to the troops, held earlier in the day at the “Ugo Mara” barracks, General Perretti ended his tenure as commander of the multi-national NATO Command, handing over to General Miglietta.
The ceremony was a good opportunity for NRDC-ITA, in the 70th Anniversary year of the Alliance, to consolidate relationships with the local Milanese and Lombardy communities. Relationships which have their roots as far back as the First World War, when the Palazzo Cusani hosted the Italian 3rd Corps.
In his farewell speech, General Perretti spoke of these close community and historical links, but also focused on the more recent past, highlighting the successes the HQ has enjoyed. In the past 3 years inter-institutional links have been established, with NATO, national and academic organisations. NRDC-ITA has become a training hub for Italian and NATO staff and exciting partnerships have been built with 7 top Italian universities. Intensive military training has been conducted, enabling recent achievements, but also setting the conditions for successes on the operations of the future. As such NRDC-ITA is well placed to support the Alliance in the East, whilst remaining ideally located to respond to any threats emanating from the South.
Amongst the attendees at the historic Palazzo Cusani to witness the change of command ceremony, was the Chief of Staff of Italian Army, General Salvatore Farina, the Deputy Chief of Italian Defence, Lieutenant General Luigi Francesco De Leverano, the LANDCOM Commander, General John C. Thomson, the ARCC Commander, Lieutenant General Edward Alexander Smyth-Osbourne, the RRC France Commander, Lieutenant General Pierre Gillet, the Mayor of Milan, Doctor Giuseppe Sala, the Prefect of Milan, H. E. Roberto Saccone, the Prefect of Vercelli, H.E. Francesco Garsia. Furthermore, the Ambassador of Lithuania to Italy Ricardas Slepavicius and the diplomatic representatives of the contributing nations of NRDC-ITA were present.