The Romanian troops deployed in Afghanistan, in Qalat and Kandahar, were visited by President Traian Basescu, Defence Minister Mihai Stanisoara and CHoD Admiral Gheorghe Marin, Ph.D., on Saturday, June 6.

During the military ceremony organized in Qalat, President Traian Basescu decorated the Colors of the 21st General Leonard Mociulschi Mountain Troops Battalion with Order Virtutea Militara as token of appreciation for the troops’ professionalism in combat training and missions accomplished during their miussion in Afghanistan.

Traian Basescu evoked the memory of 1st LT (post - mortem) Claudiu Chira, MAJ (post - mortem) Iuliu-Vasile Unguras and MAJ (post - mortem) Tiberius-Marcel Petre who died while on duty in early 2009 as well as in memory of all Romanian heroes who sacrificed their lives from the beginning of the mission in Afghanistan in 2002, to the present day.

The Romanian president also spoke of the deep gratitude the Romanian people show for the soldiers who risk their lives while on duty. \'The Colors decorated by the president are the way the Romanian people thank you for everything you accomplish on its behalf\', stated Traian Basescu during the Colors decoration ceremony.

The CHoD offered the Order Virtutea Militara to LTC Florin Stan, commander of the 21st Mountain Troops Battalion and to MAJ Gregory A. Cannata, commander of the BRAVO-USA Company under the tactical command of the Romanian battalion.

Minister of National Defence Mihai Stanisoara offered Emblema de Onoare a Armatei Romaniei to CAPT Ciprian-Dumitru Vlad, NCOs Daniel Stan and Marcel-Catalin Ciolacu for their professionalism, courage and determination in accomplishing the tasks assigned in the theater of operations in Afghanistan.

CHoD Admiral Gheorghe Marin offered Emblema de Onoare a Statului Major General to LTs Razvan-Ioan-Adrian Almasan and Nicolaie-Leonard Vergu, NCOs Cristian Toma, Ervin-Rasvan Oros, Marius Gabor and Marius Hajdu and soldier Nicolae Chisca for their contribution to the accomplishment of missions assigned in the theater of operations in Afghanistan.

At the end of the ceremony, the president, the defence minister and the CHoD had nlunch alongside the troops.

During the second half of their visit in Afghanistan, the president and the leadership of the defence ministry travelled to Kandahar, where they met with the Romanian troops deployed there and participated in a briefing and a wreath-laying ceremony, at the Monument of the heroes who die3d while on duty in Afghanistan.
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There are 962 Romanian troops deployed in Afghanistan, 904 of which are involved in NATO - ISAF while 58 in Enduring Freedom. The 21st Maneuver Battalion deployed in Qalat, in January 2009, was put together on the structure of the 21st Mountain Troops Battalion of Predeal. The mountain troops are going to be replaced by their colleagues of the 280th Maneuver Battalion of Focsani.

MoND Press Office