On 11 November, the NATO Defense College (NDC) had the honour to welcome French Air Force General Jean-Paul PALOMÉROS, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT).
Upon arrival, the General was welcomed by the NDC Commandant, Major General Janusz BOJARSKI (POL F), and by NDC Dean Dr Daria Daniels SKODNIK (SVN C).
The main purpose of the visit was for General PALOMÉROS to have discussions with the NDC Commandant and Dean, as well as NDC Director of Management BrigGen Salvatore CARTA (ITA A) and senior members of the NDC leadership. During the meeting, General PALOMÉROS was briefed by the Head of the Academic Planning and Policy Division (DAPP), BrigGen Heinz-Josef FELDMANN (DEU A), about the ‘NDC Review’, the transformation of the educational system within the NDC. On behalf of the NDC Research Division, Ms Heidi REISINGER (DEU C) briefly spoke on the subject of ‘hybrid warfare’, while Dr Guillaume LASCONJARIAS (FRA C) illustrated the mission and main activities of the NDC Research Division.
During a working lunch, General PALOMÉROS had the opportunity to meet some members of the Generals, Flag Officers and Ambassadors’ Course (GFOAC), before further discussion with NDC Commandant Bojarski.
General Jean-Paul PALOMÉROS was confirmed by the North Atlantic Council as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation on 6 August 2012 and assumed command in Norfolk, Virginia, on 28 September 2012. He joined the French Air Force Academy in 1973 and qualified as a fighter pilot in 1976. General PALOMÉROS graduated in 1993 from the Royal Air Force Staff College, Bracknell (UK), where he was awarded the Curtis Prize by the Chief of the Air Staff of Great Britain. Throughout his career he has acquired extensive experience, both as an operational commander and, earlier, as a fighter pilot. He was Commander of Cazaux Air Force Base from 1996 to 1998. General PALOMÉROS also has considerable experience of multinational operations. He was deployed in Vicenza, Italy (1993) as Deputy Commander of the French Air Force during Operation ‘Crécerelle’, the French contribution to Operation ‘Deny Flight’. In Kiseljak, Bosnia-Herzegovina (1995), he was in charge of coordinating the air-ground campaign during Operation ‘Deliberate Force’. He became Head of the Studies and Strategic Plans Department of the French Air Force Staff in 1998. Promoted to Brigadier General in 2001, he was appointed Chairman of the Capability Development Committee within the French Joint Staff. In August 2002, he became the Head of the Plans and Programmes Division. In April 2005, he was appointed Vice-Chief of Staff of the French Air Force. Promoted to General, he went on to serve as Air Force Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2012. He was awarded the rank of Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honour in 2009. He is also an Officer of the National Order of Merit and holds the Aeronautical Medal.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Sharon Orlandini , ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN 
