Luciano Portolano

Last updated
Luciano Antonio Portolano
Generale CA Luciano Portolano mr.jpg
Born(1960-09-18)18 September 1960
Agrigento, Sicily
AllegianceFlag of Italy.svg Italy
Service / branch Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Esercito Italiano
Years of service1981–present
Rank Rank insignia of generale of the Army of Italy (1973).svg General
Unit Bersaglieri
Commands 67th Bersaglieri Battalion
18th Bersaglieri Regiment
Sassari Brigade
TAAC-West
UNIFIL
JFC Naples (Chief of Staff)
Joint Operations Command
Secretary General of Defence and National Armaments Director
Chief of the Defense Staff
Battles / wars
Awards ITA OMRI 2001 Uff BAR.svg Officer, OMRI
Ufficiale BAR.svg Officer, Military Order of Italy
Valor dell'esercito silver medal BAR.svg Silver Valour Medal (Army)
Croce al merito dell'esercito gold medal BAR.svg Gold Merit Cross (Army) (2)
Us legion of merit officer rib.png Officer, Legion of Merit
Alma mater Military Academy of Modena
University of Turin

Luciano Antonio Portolano is an Italian Army general who currently serves as the Chief of the Defense Staff since 4 October 2024. Prior to his assumption to the post, General Portolano served as Secretary General of Defence and National Armaments Director, commander of the Joint Operations Command, Chief of Staff of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, and as commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Portolano was born on 18 September 1960 at Agrigento, and entered high school at the Liceo Classico e Musicale Empedocle, and also served as part of the local athletic team "Libertas". Portolano then entered the Military Academy of Modena in 1978 and graduated as part of Course 161 and also completed the Application School of the Army at Turin in 1981. Portolano also completed various courses locally and abroad, such as the Army Staff Course, the Advanced Staff Course, the Joint Staff Course at the Application School of the Army, and also completed the Command and General Staff Officers Course at the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. [1] [3]

Portolano also earned a degree University of Turin, where he finished his degree in Strategic Sciences, and holds a Master's Degree in Integrated Management and Development of Human Resources and a Master's Degree in Strategic Sciences. [1]

Military career

General Portolano joined the Italian army in September 1981 and was assigned in various units within the Italian Army, primarily under Bersaglieri units and in commanding United Nations forces in various countries. During his junior years as a lieutenant, Portolano was named as a Platoon and Company Commander under the 27th Bersaglieri Regiment, now known as the 11th Bersaglieri Regiment. On 1990-1991, Portolano was deployed to the Iran-Iraq border and was part of the United Nations Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIMOG) aimed to maintain the buffer zone within the Iran-Iraq border following a ceasefire deal between the two states. Following the aftermath of the Gulf War, Portolano was part of the Italian Forces under the United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) in 1991. On 1997, Portolano was named as the commander of the 67th Bersaglieri Battalion, currently named as the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. During his stint as commander of the 67th Bersaglieri Battalion, Portolano was involved in NATO operations under Operation Joint Guarantor in North Macedonia and Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo and assisted the Early Entry Forces of the Italian Contingent during the Kosovo War. [1]

In 2003, Portolano was promoted to the rank of colonel. During the Iraq War, then-colonel Portolano was deployed in Iraq during the deployment of the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment and was also named as commander of the JTF Manoeuvre Task Force as part of Operation Ancient Babylon in 2003 and was later part of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. Portolano would later serve as Staff Officer, Doctrine Section, Military Regulations and Policy Branch and as a member of the Staff Office, Training and Education Section, Training Branch, before serving as Head Regulations Section, Doctrine, Training and Regulations Branch, Head Operations Section, Force Deployment/COE Division and as Head Operations Division, Joint Operations Headquarters. On 2007 to 2010, Portolano served at the Italian Embassy in London, United Kingdom as a Military Attaché and was also accredited in diplomatic missions in Ireland. On 2011-2012, Portolano was named as Commander of the Sassari Mechanized Brigade and was later deployed in Herat, Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force, where he was named as commander of the Multinational RC-W (Regional Command - West) and was later involved in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. [1]

On 16 June 2014, Portolano was named Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with a rank of Major General. [4] During his stint as commander of the UNIFIL, he commanded a total of 10,000 troops from 40 different countries and continued the initiatives in monitoring the situation within the Lebanese border and continued the cooperation between UN Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces. Portolano ended his service in Lebanon in July 2016. [5] [6] [7] On September 2016, Portolano was named as the Chief of Staff, while subsequently serving as the Head of the European Union Command Element at the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, and was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. Portolano would later be appointed as commander of the Joint Operations Command on 2 September 2019, and initiated reforms and preparation upgrades for joint operations in the armed forces across a multitude of theaters within the modern battlefield. On 31 January 2020, Portolano also initiated operations and directions on the implementation of lockdowns and the declaration of state of emergency due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. [6] On 26 July 2021, then-Lieutenant General Portolano also upgraded and reorganized the name of the command from Joint Operations Command (Comando Operativo Interforze, COI) to Joint Summit Operations Command (Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze, COVI) and elevated the command's position within the hierarchy of the armed forces due to its operational importance and its wide range of responsibilities. The development also led to the creation of the Commandant of the Command for Joint Operations, where Portolano served as its first commandant, and was later promoted to the rank of General. [8]

On 13 August 2021 to 31 August 2021, amidst the Airlift evacuation in Afghanistan, Portolano led coordination efforts with the Italian Air Force on the evacuation of Italian troops, diplomatic personnel, and civilians, and led to the deployment of 5 Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft and 4 Boeing KC-767A tanker/transport planes, as well as the various ground units to secure the evacuation. The operation led to the evacuation of 5,011 people from Afghanistan to Italy and was placed under the Ministry of the Interior. [9] [10] [11] On 29 September 2021, General Portolano was appointed as the Secretary General of Defence and National Armaments Director, where he initiated reforms on armaments policy and defense production.

On 17 September 2024, Portolano was appointed by the Council of Ministers as the new Chief of the Defense Staff, and replaced Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, who was named as the new Chair of the NATO Military Committee. Portolano assumed the position as the Chief of Defense Staff on 4 October 2024. [12] [13] [14] After his assumption to the post, Portolano emphasized the importance of preparedness and urgency in upgrading the Italian Armed Forces against new threats in modern warfare, and on learning the lessons on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Portolano also called on the importance of enhancing partnerships with allies and partners across the region and enhance collaboration with foreign armed forces against potential Russian aggression. [15]

Awards and decorations

Personal Life

He is married and has two children. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of Italy

The Italian Armed Forces encompass the Italian Army, the Italian Navy and the Italian Air Force. A fourth branch of the armed forces, known as the Carabinieri, take on the role as the nation's military police and are also involved in missions and operations abroad as a combat force. Despite not being a branch of the armed forces, the Guardia di Finanza is organized along military lines. These five forces comprise a total of 340,885 men and women with the official status of active military personnel, of which 167,057 are in the Army, Navy and Air Force. The President of the Italian Republic heads the armed forces as the President of the High Council of Defence established by article 87 of the Constitution of Italy. According to article 78, the Parliament has the authority to declare a state of war and vest the powers to lead the war in the Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Defence (Italy)</span> Italian government agency

The Ministry of Defence is the government body of the Italian Republic responsible for military and civil defence matters and managing the Italian Armed Forces. It is led by the Italian Minister of Defence, a position occupied by Guido Crosetto since October 2022.

The 1st Carabinieri Paratroopers Regiment "Tuscania" is a special operations unit of the Italian Carabinieri. Together with the 7th Carabinieri Regiment in Laives, the 13th Carabinieri Regiment in Gorizia, and the Special Intervention Group it forms the 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade. The regiment is based in Livorno, and has approximately 550 personnel.

The article provides an overview of the entire chain of command and organization of the Italian Army after the reform of 1 May 2024 and includes all active units as of 1 May 2024. The Armed Forces of Italy are under the command of the Italian Supreme Defense Council, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The Italian Army is commanded by the Chief of the Army General Staff or "Capo di Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito" in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudio Graziano</span> Italian general (1953–2024)

General Claudio Graziano was an Italian Army officer who served as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief of the Defence Staff (Italy)</span>

The Chief of the Defence Staff of Italy is the service head of the Italian Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operational Land Forces Command</span> Military unit

Operational Land Forces Command is the Italian Army's major command tasked with the operational and administrative control of most of its combat forces. COMFOTER reports directly to the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army. The command is based in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Beary</span> Retired Irish Army Major general

Michael Beary is a retired Irish Army Major general and former head of mission and force commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Beary is the current leader of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement, having retired from the military.

Vice Admiral Maurizio Gimignani is an Italian Navy officer, currently serving as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade</span> Military unit

The 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, based in Livorno, is the Carabinieri formation dedicated to military missions abroad, including military police tasks. It employs the 7th Carabinieri Regiment "Trentino-Alto Adige", the 13th Carabinieri Regiment "Friuli-Venezia Giulia", the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania" and the Gruppo di intervento speciale.

Lieutenant General Roberto Nordio is an Italian Air Force officer, currently serving as Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Cavo Dragone</span> Italian naval officer

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone is an Italian naval officer, who served as Chief of the Defense Staff since 19 October 2021 to 3 October 2024. Prior to his assumption, he served as the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy from 21 June 2019 to 19 October 2021, and as commander of the Joint Operations Command, and the Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters.

Lieutenant General Lorenzo D’Addario is a member of the Italian Armed Forces, 23rd Commander of the Kosovo Force and at present Commander of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy.

The following is the structure of the Italian Navy as of June 2020. It is considered a multiregional and a blue-water navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesco Paolo Figliuolo</span> Italian general (born 1961)

Francesco Paolo Figliuolo is an Italian army corps general. On 1 March 2021, he was appointed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi as Extraordinary Commissioner for the Implementation of Health Measures to Contain the COVID-19 pandemic, to lead the vaccination campaign.

Comando Supremo was the highest command echelon of the Italian Armed Forces between June 1941 and May 1945. Its predecessor, the Stato Maggiore Generale, was a purely advisory body with no direct control of the several branches of the armed forces and with very little staff. Created amidst the exigencies of World War II, Comando Supremo was a large organization with several departments and operational command of the armed forces on the active fronts. At the end of the war, it was reduced to a purely advisory role again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paolo Ruggiero</span> Italian general

Paolo Ruggiero is a General in the Italian Army who served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation of NATO from 19 July 2019 to 7 July 2022 when he was replaced by General Chris Badia of the German Air Force.

The Joint Operations Headquarters is the Italian joint operational command directly reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff. This command exercises the planning, coordination and direction of the military operations of the Italian armed forces, and on joint and multinational exercises and all activities connected to them. Through the COVI, the Chief of the Defence Staff is able to exercise his functions as Operational Commander of the Armed Forces.

The Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters is the joint command of the Italian Armed Forces charged with overseeing the various special operations units of the Italian Armed Forces. The command is part of the Joint Operations Command and is validated as NATO Component Command. COFS is headquartered at Centocelle Airport in Rome, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pietro Serino</span> Italian military officer

Pietro Serino is an Italian general, Chief of Staff of the Italian Army from 26 February 2021 to 26 February 2024.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chief of Defence".
  2. ↑ "Le général de corps d'armée Luciano Portolano nouveau chef d'état-major des armées". www.difesa.it.
  3. ↑ "Il Gen. Portolano e' il nuovo capo di stato maggiore della Difesa - Onu Italia". onuitalia.com (in Italian). 17 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Major-General Luciano Portolano takes over Command of UNIFIL".
  5. ↑ Luciano Portolano. UN Press Release, 16 June 2014
  6. 1 2 "Chi è il generale Portolano, nuovo capo di Stato maggiore della Difesa". Policy Maker (in Italian). 17 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "As he prepares to leave, UNIFIL head says relations with communities critical to success".
  8. ↑ Battaglia, Marco (23 July 2021). "La Difesa entra nel multi-dominio. Ecco il nuovo comando del gen. Portolano". Formiche.net (in Italian).
  9. ↑ Cenciotti, Stefano D'Urso, David (21 August 2021). "Everything You Need To Know About 'Aquila Omnia', Italy's Air Bridge To Evacuate Civilians From Afghanistan". The Aviationist.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Esercito Italiano nell'Operazione "Aquila Omnia"". www.esercito.difesa.it (in Italian).
  11. ↑ Nova, Redazione Agenzia (15 September 2021). "Portolano: "Operation Aquila Omnia was an operational effort never experienced before"". Agenzia Nova.
  12. ↑ "Il generale Luciano Portolano sarà il nuovo capo di stato maggiore della Difesa – Analisi Difesa" (in Italian). 14 December 2024.
  13. ↑ "Chi è Luciano Portolano, il generale siciliano da oggi capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa". La Sicilia (in Italian). 4 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Il generale Luciano Portolano nuovo Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa – Analisi Difesa" (in Italian). 14 December 2024.
  15. ↑ "Italy's Chief of Defence prioritises military readiness". Decode39. 4 November 2024.
  16. ↑ "Delivery of Decorations to General Luciano Portolano". 29 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Brigadier General Luciano Portolano | Resolute Support Mission". www.rs.nato.int. Retrieved 2015-12-06.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.