Graduation of Senior Course 139

On Friday, 28 January 2022, the NATO Defense College graduated Senior Course 139. General Jörg Vollmer, Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum (NATO JFC Brunssum) delivered the Graduation Address, followed by the conferment of diplomas and awarding of the Eisenhower Prize for best Committee Project, which marked the conclusion of the College’s flagship course

Lieutenant General Olivier Rittimann, NDC Commandant, welcomed General Jörg Vollmer, Commander to the NATO Defense College. They proceeded to the Office Call signing of the guest book. Lieutenant General Luciano Portolano, Secretary General of Defence and National Armaments Director at the Italian Ministry of Defense also attended the Office Call.

“Over the last 5 months, throughout the travels and exercises we conducted together, I have had the honour of watching you develop into a cohesive team, in Committee rooms or in the Auditorium, learning the art of consensus, even via technological means,” said the NDC Commandant in his welcome remarks to Senior Course 139.

General Jörg Vollmer then spoke, highlighting, “the center of gravity of the Alliance is cohesion. We have managed to maintain cohesion throughout the years. This is one of the greatest strengths of our Alliance.” He congratulated Course Members on the completion of the Course.

Course President Major General Stefan Fix (DEU A) and Course Vice-President, Director General Ole Felix Dahl (NOR C) delivered a joint farewell address, touching upon the various components of the Course, from lectures from senior experts, to individual and Committee work, the Field Studies and the Staff Ride to Montecassino.

Then names of those who wrote the best Individual Papers from SC 139 were announced. This was followed by the unveiling of the Committee winner of the Eisenhower Prize for best Committee Study Project: Committee 8.

The ceremony concluded with the conferment of diplomas to Course Members who now officially become part of the Anciens’ Community.

Ambassadors, Defense Attachés, Italian authorities and distinguished guests attended the ceremony together, with the NDC staff and the families of the Course Members.

NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Laura Garcia Pesquera, ESP C)