On 15 November 2013, on the occasion of the visit of Dr Velizar Shalamanov (NCI Agency Director Demand Management) to Allied Land Command Izmir, Major General Uğur Tarçın (the LANDCOM Chief of Staff) presented NCI Agency Squadron Izmir with a Certificate of Appreciation for its "outstanding determination and efforts to connect LANDCOM with other NATO headquarters."
The Certificate was accepted on behalf of Squadron Izmir by its Commander, Col Askin Simseker TUR (A).
Dr Shalamanov was visiting LANDCOM to discuss its partnership with the NCI Agency. One of the key topics of the discussion was how to improve connectivity between LANDCOM and other NATO headquarters and training centres. During the visit, Maj. Gen. Tarçın highlighted the importance of this work, particularly as NATO member nations are in majority reducing their defence budgets. As LANDCOM is the lead advocate for land forces for all of NATO, the LANDCOM Commander, Lt. Gen. Frederick "Ben" Hodges sees its main role as "connecting, sharing, and building a team of teams with NATO standards, systems and interoperability at the core." In support of this role, one of the LANDCOM initiatives is to conduct a joint survey of the communications facilities at all land component headquarters in the NATO Force Structure starting with LANDCOM.
For further information follow the news also on the LANDCOM site here.