On Friday 11 April 2014, the NATO Defense College (NDC) had the great privilege of hosting LtGen Giorgio Battisti (ITA A), Commander of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps in Italy. In the morning, the eleventh NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC-11), directed by the Head of Middle East Faculty, Col Giuseppe Morabito (ITA A), was briefed by LtGen Battisti on the current status of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The lecture was also attended by five guests from the Istituto Diplomatico “Mario Toscano” (ISDI), in Rome.
The
speaker focused on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan, as Chief of Staff ISAF and Italian Senior National Representative from January 2013 to January 2014. Thanks to his wide-ranging field knowledge, he supplied a clear update on events and trends in Afghanistan, emphasizing ISAF’s main tasks and its supporting role to Afghan security forces.
A working lunch after the lecture offered LtGen Battisti an opportunity for a full discussion with the NDC’s newly appointed Director of Management, BrigGen Salvatore Carta (ITA A), and three NRCC Italian Course Members.
LtGen Battisti has extensive experience both as a staff officer and an operational Commander, with a background that includes operations in coalition environments, at the tactical, operational and strategic levels. He has served in a variety of theatres, including Bosnia, Somalia and Afghanistan. On 30 June 2011, he assumed command of the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA).
NRDC-ITA was established in November 2001, as one of the five new High Readiness Forces (Land) which NATO has created for future operational commitments to be undertaken at short notice. The NRDC-ITA Headquarters has a committed, confident and experienced multinational staff, working in a cohesive and structured team. It mainly contributes to deterrence of aggression against NATO, through the establishment and maintenance of a capability to deploy in support of North Atlantic Council (NAC)-approved operations.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Valentina Ferrandu, ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 