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NATO’s Allied Maritime Command Hosts SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Intelligence

NORTHWOOD, UK - Today, the commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, welcomed SHAPE Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence (DCOS OPI), Major General Joseph Guastella, to the headquarters for an in-depth briefing on NATO maritime operations.   

During the visit, Major General Guastella toured the Maritime Operations Centre, MARCOM’s nerve centre, responsible for maintaining the maritime situational awareness in SACEUR’s Area of Responsibility (AOR).  NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD and counter-terrorism Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR, as well as the afloat activities of its four Standing Naval Forces and all other ships, submarines, and aircraft supporting NATO’s maritime operations are other important roles of the centre responsibilities.  He met with MARCOM’s new commander, Vice Admiral Johnstone, during the latter’s first full day in command, and with MARCOM’s Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio.  Major General Guastella also received briefings from each of MARCOM’s five deputy chiefs of staffs.     

"Major General Guastella’s visit to MARCOM is very welcome and opportune,” said Vice Admiral Johnstone.  "As MARCOM further develops its maritime contributions to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and the Readiness Action Plan, close coordination with our higher headquarters aids the development of a more mature and effective outcome for the Alliance.”

As SHAPE’s DCOS OPI, Major General Guastella is responsible for ensuring Allied Command Operations’ conventional and nuclear forces are ready to carry out collective defence operations for the NATO Alliance.  He supervises and directs SHAPE’s Comprehensive Crisis and Operations Management Centre as well as SHAPE’s Operations and Intelligence directorates.