For the National Day of Romania, the military from the 2nd Infantry Battalion Calugareni in mission in the Afghani Zabul Province have been decorated with NATO-ISAF Medal for Freedom and Peace Support Missions.

The medals, with their brevets signed by NATO Secretary General, have been offered by General Ton Van Loon, the commander of NATO ISAF forces, South of Afghanistan, Jan Del bar Arman, Governor of Zabul and the representatives of the local Afghani authorities.

The 2nd Infantry Battalion is honored to receive this medal as a sign of appreciation for the effort every military from our unit made for a more secure future for the entire Afghani people, for those supporting the peace and the reconstruction of Zabul province stated Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Petrescu, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion Calugareni. The ceremony of offering the medals to the 2nd Infantry Battalion occasioned by the celebration of the National Day of Romania makes us proud of representing the Romanian Armed Forces, the country that along the history brought its sacrifice for the establishment of the Romanian modern state. Today, the fight for a better world is here, in Afghanistan, and we are the soldiers of the international community in this fight stated the Romanian commander.

General Van Loon congratulated the Romanian military for the medal they received and for the National Day. I'll do everything in my power to maintain this friendship, this brotherhood between us in order to bring peace to the Zabul people living in such difficult conditions said NATO-ISAF commander in the South of Afghanistan.

MoD Press Office