Lieutenant General Frederick Hodges Commanding General, Allied Land Command, made a visit in Romania through April 14 and 15.

During his visit, Lieutenant General Hodges met with the State Secretary for Defence Policy and Planning, Valeriu Nicut, with the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Stefan Danila, and the Commandant of the National Defence University, Air-Flotilla General Gabriel-Florin Moisescu.

The Chief of Land Forces Staff, Major General Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca met with the Commanding General of Allied Land Command, on Tuesday, April 15, at the Land Forces Staff Headquarters. The Land Forces Staff`s organizational chart, its transformation process, the missions of the Land Forces troops in various theaters of operations, procurement and modernization programs and the on-going missions were some of the topics discussed during the meeting of the two officials.

'During my visit in Romania, I saw armed forces trained for a future, which invests in the development of the military educational system, while the training of the young cadets studying at the Land Forces` Academy is impressive. The Training Center at Cincu is about to become an important regional center, a multinational training element which can be used by the neighboring nations as well. We`ll continue supporting the collaboration relationship between the Allied Land Command and the Romanian Land Forces. When I see a Romanian soldier, I see a NATO one', concluded Lieutenant General Hodges at the end of his meeting with the Chief of Land Forces Headquarters, Major General Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca.

In turn, Major General Ciuca thanked Lieutenant General Hodges for the constant support offered by the US partners. 'I am convinced that the good collaboration between our institutions will continue and we shall try to continue identifying new cooperation ways and common activities', stated Major General Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca at the end of the activity.

Lieutenant General Hodges also visited the Land Forces Academy 'Nicolae Balcescu', where he was briefed on the military educational system and the education and training curricula of the future leaders, the Simulation Combat Training Center from Cincu, where he learned about the infrastructure and training facilities as well the way the specific training programs are run and the training capabilities the center provides for the force training at multinational level.

MoND Press Office