The JEME in Spanish invites the journalists to the tradicitional breakfast for their Patron Saint's festivity

JEME's speech to the journalists (Photo:Ángel Tejedor/DECET)

Intervention of the president of the APDEF (Photo:Ángel Tejedor/DECET)

Tens of journalists have attended to the event (Photo:Ángel Tejedor/DECET)

The chief of General Staff of the Spanish Army (JEME in Spanish), general Varela, looked very "hopeful" with the technological jump of the Spanish Army, consisting on the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics, which will start this year thanks to the new investment cycle. "We're optimistic", affirmed to the journalists specialized in Defense, who attended this morning to Buenavista Palace, as answer to JEME's invitation for the celebration of their Patron Saint, San Francisco de Sales.

His hope is that, this year, in November, the technological developments associated to 8x8 vehicle start to be tested at Brigade "Rey Alfonso XIII", 2nd of the Legion, the chosen one for starting the programme of experience in order to design the future Brigade, the 35th Brigade (refering to year 2035, which has been put as temporal horizon for this new transformation of the Army).

This new Brigade has to give an answer to the "significant change produced by the operative environment, in which the main objective is not to destroy the enemy Army anymore, but to gain civil people's trust and to protect them", added the JEME. This circumstance also entails a change of mind and to work in order to answer to "what kind of Army is needed for this new context" question.  

In fact, the Army has elaborated a report- which was given to the journalists who attended to this traditional breakfast- in which a "X-ray" of the Institution's situation until January 2018 is made, as well as setting out where it should evolve in order to maintain its efficienty and modernity.

In this process, he highlighted the importance of promoting the Culture of Defense, labour to which the journalists have an essential role as they are the media for the Army's commitment consisting of being "a tool serving Spain, making it safer".

By his part, the president of the Defense Journalists' Association (APDEF in Spanish), Emilio Andreu, highlighted the compromise of this profession to be "the bridge which relates society with the organizations and institutions", and he warned the risks that may entail not to have this channel of communication. "If we vanish this rotating bridge, society will be isolated, he pointed out.
 

Report available on: http://www.ejercito.mde.es/Galerias/Descarga_pdf/EjercitoTierra/Publicaciones/informesituacionET.pdf

During the traditional breakfast, the JEME had a special mention to lieutenant colonel Benito, stationed at the War Academy and coordinator of the War Correspondent's days since 13 years ago, becoming one of the most well-known soldiers among the specialized media in Defense.

The JEME wanted to thank his job during this entire time, because he will become reservist soon, and he awarded him with a gift.