Today, January 17, 2025, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone assumed the role of Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, officially receiving the gavel from his predecessor, Admiral Rob Bauer, during a special session of the Military Committee. Prior to the session, Admiral Bauer laid a wreath at the Danish Memorial Stone, which honors those who have fallen in service to the Alliance.
In his farewell address, Admiral Bauer stressed the importance of trust and cooperation between the Allies, as well as between the political and military levels. He stressed how crucial it was that the Committee maintain its independent role in providing unfettered advice to the political level.
In his inaugural address to the Military Committee, Admiral Cavo Dragone expressed his ambition to further strengthen cooperation, cohesion and collaboration between Allies and Partners. He added: "Alone we can go faster, but together we can go further".
Admiral Cavo Dragone's ability to foster cooperation is evidenced by his years of dedicated service to the Alliance throughout his military career in the Italian Armed Forces. A career that includes positions as Commander of the operational command of interforce forces Italian, Chief of Staff of the Navy and Chief of Staff of Defence. Admiral Cavo Dragone has also received numerous awards and honours throughout the Alliance, including the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
In his new role, Admiral Cavo Dragone will become NATO's top military officer, a position that goes well beyond simply chairing the Military Committee. He will be the Alliance's principal spokesperson on all military matters and serve as the NATO Secretary General's principal military advisor. Most importantly, he will be the channel through which consensus-based advice from the Chiefs of Staff of all NATO member countries is communicated to NATO's political decision-making bodies.
Farewell Ceremony for Admiral Bauer
After the session, during a special ceremony, NATO Headquarters bid farewell to Admiral Bauer. He explained why the Alliance is so vital in the current global context, saying: "We are the shield for the innocent. We are what stands between freedom and oppression.".
During the ceremony, Secretary General Mark Rutte thanked Admiral Rob Bauer for his years of dedicated service to the Alliance. "These have been transformative years for NATO. And it is no exaggeration to say that you have played a key role in this transformation, helping NATO refocus on its core task of collective defense and preparing our Alliance for this new era of intensified engagement."he stressed.
