STAVANGER, Norway – Polish Army Major General Piotr Malinowski assumed command of NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre from German Navy Rear Admiral Jan C. Kaack during a Change of Command Ceremony held at the Centre’s Harald Haarfagre Auditorium on October 8, 2021.
French Air Force General Philippe Lavigne, NATO’s new Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, presided over the ceremony.
Senior military and civil service officers from across NATO and Norway, the diplomatic community in Oslo and distinguished guests from Germany and Poland, the Centre’s international staff and their families, as well as many dignitaries from Stavanger attended the ceremony.
Prior to relinquishing command, Rear Admiral Kaack delivered his final remarks as the Joint Warfare Centre Commander and thanked those in attendance; General Lavigne – for his presence just 14 days after taking over the command of Allied Command Transformation, Host Nation Norway and the Norwegian Armed Forces, his family, and the Joint Warfare Centre’s One Team.
“It has been a high pace, dynamic, and highly productive 27+ months. A time that my family and I will keep in very good memory. Major General Malinowski, Piotr, the foundation for a Joint Warfare Centre that is fit for the future and that will meet NATO’s training and warfare development demands of tomorrow has been laid. I wish you all the best for leading this unique group of people and the Joint Warfare Centre into the future,” he said.
Rear Admiral Kaack is moving to Germany to become the Commander of the German Fleet and Deputy Chief of the German Navy, and he is approved for appointment to the rank of Vice Admiral.
In his remarks, General Lavigne spoke about the importance of the JWC’s mission to maintain readiness and adaptation of NATO Command and Force Structure Headquarters through the delivery of NATO’s most complex command post exercises and continuous innovation in warfare development.
“The Joint Warfare Centre is NATO’s trusted advisor that bridges Operations and Transformation, underpinning NATO readiness and future capability development,” General Lavigne stated.
“It is a team effort. The Joint Warfare Centre’s work benefits NATO’s both Strategic Commands, Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Transformation. It benefits the NATO Command Structure. It benefits individual member states. It short, it serves the Alliance.”
Read the full story on the Joint Warfare Centre’s website, here.