NATO Defense College will celebrate today Graduation Ceremony for the Senior Course 136 and the change of command between the outgoing commander, air team general (Canada) Chris Whitecross and the army corps general (France), Olivier Rittimann. Guest of honor at the ceremony, the director of NATO's International Military Staff, General Hans-Werner Wiermann.
Commander Chris Whitecross - the third Canadian commander and first female in the College's history - will leave command at the end of her three-year term to General Rittimann, XNUMXth commander of the NDC. Coming from SHAPE's command in Belgium, where he held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the multinational component, in recent months General Rittimann has also led the Covid19 Task Force of NATO.
To complete the morning of celebrations, the usual Graduation Ceremony of the Senior Course; raison d'etre and NDC peak course.
The entire event will take place respecting the security measures to counter the spread of Coronavirus, preparing the Maynard-Thorn auditorium for a limited number of guests and allowing you to follow the event streaming online.
The chief of staff of Defense Enzo Vecciarelli, the leaders of the Italian Armed Forces, ambassadors and representatives of NATO were present at the ceremony.
To follow the streaming event: https://www.youtube.com/user/NATODefenseCollege
General Biography Chris Whitecross - http://www.ndc.nato.int/about/organization.php?icode=4
General Biography Olivier Rittimann - https://shape.nato.int/vice-chief-of-staff-vcos
Photo: NATO
