THE CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF VISITS THE "ORTIZ DE ZÁRATE" BATTALION

Thursday, 27th January 2011
Army General Fulgencio Coll Bucher, Chief of the Army Staff, today 27th January, has undertaken his first institutional visit of Base “Santa Bárbara”, the 3rd Paratroops Battalion “Ortiz de Zárate”, and the Paratroops Training Unit in Javalí Nuevo (Murcia). This visit is included within the programme of visits that the Chief of the Army Staff carries out periodically to different units.  Upon his arrival at the base, he has been received by the Commanders of the Units located on the Base to begin, after presiding over the Official Roll Call formation and attending the hoisting of the Spanish Flag, the day with a Physical Education session accompanied by 3rd Paratroops Battalion members.  After breakfast the work day began with Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Agüero Martínez, Commander of the 3rd Paratroops Battalion, who offered him an update presentation on the Battalion, then heading to the unit’s instruction area where he observed various training sessions undertaken by the unit, such as paratroops instruction, urban area combat instruction, firing and combat exercises by a paratroops infantry company as well as the instruction of mortar and anti-tank defence platoons.  During his visit General Fulgencio Coll has highlighted the daily work of the Paratroops Battalion members, which is the guarantee of success in undertaking the missions it is assigned.  Lastly, he congratulated the unit for their labour carried out in Afghanistan, by constituting the Protection and Security Company in Qala e Naw. The visit concluded with a working meal accompanied by a commission of officers, non-commissioned officers and troop from all the Base units.