Italian Major General Gian Marco Chiarini

EUFOR Commander

(EUFOR; BBC)

Italian Major General Gian Marco Chiarini took over command of the EUFOR forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on 6 December 2005, from British Major General David Leakey at a ceremony that also marked the first year that the 6,5000-strong EUFOR has been in the country.

He is the second EUFOR commander since NATO handed over its peacekeeping duties in BiH to the EU in December 2004. The handover ceremony -- held at Camp Butmir in Sarajevo -- was attended by EU security chief Javier Solana, the chairman of BiH's tripartite presidency Ivo Miro Jovic, presidency member Borislav Paravac, and other officials.

Chiarini was born in 1952, in Ferrara. He attended the 153rd Military Academy Course from 1971-1973, where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He attended the Military School of Application and Specialization in Turin. In 1975, he was assigned to the Tank Corps.

From 1975-1982, he served as Armoured Platoon and Company commander and Service Support Company commander of the 1st Tank Battalion "CRACCO" in Bellinzago Novarese.

In 1991, Chiarini assumed command of the 1st Tank Battalion CRACCO. He was commanding officer of the 32nd Tank Regiment in Tauriano, from 1998 to 1999. From 1985 to 1986, he attended the 110th General Staff Course and from 1988 to 1989 the 110th Advanced General Staff Course, both at the Italian Army War College.

In 1999, he was appointed as Joint Operations Branch Chief in NATO HQ AFSOUTH, Naples. Chiarini served as the KFOR executive assistant, in Pristina, Kosovo, from 2000 to 2001.

On 1 January 2001, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. In May, he was appointed as Rapid Reaction Corps Chief of Staff in Solbiate Olona (VA). He maintained this appointment until the FOC of the Corps was declared by NATO. From 1 March to 1 September 2003, he was the commander of Multinational Brigade SE (Salamander) in BiH.

On 1 January 2005, he was promoted to the rank of major general and served in the Italian Army General Staff in Rome, as the department deputy chief for operations and training.

Chiarini is married and has one son.