Moldovan Alumni Roundtable – Challenges to Peacekeeping and Stability Operations in the 21st Century
January 15, 2008
On Jan. 15, the Moldovan Association of Marshall Center Alumni held its fourth annual security roundtable. This year’s event was devoted to Peacekeeping and Stability Operations and the highlight speaker was Marshall Center Professor Col. James Howcroft, who lectured both on “Three Challenges to Peacekeeping Operations in the 21st Century” and “10 Lessons to Learn from Stability Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq”.
Noteworthy attendees among the 55 participants included Moldovan Defense Minister Vitalie Vrabie, who gave opening remarks; Chief of the General Staff BG Ion Coropcean (SES 2002-2) who lectured on Moldova’s contribution to International Peacekeeping Operations; COL (ret.) Vladimir Muntean (EP 1999-1) who lectured on the experience of Moldovan mine and ordinance disposal experts who have formed the bulk of recent Moldovan peacekeeping missions in Iraq in recent years; and COL Victor Macrinschi (EP 1995-1) who serves as Deputy Chief of the General Staff and Commanding Officer of the Moldovan Army Contingent in the Tripartite Peacekeeping Forces in Transnistria.
Alumni Association President COL (ret.) Andrei Covrig (EP 1997-2) moderated the day’s events, in addition to coordinating the event in partnership with the Moldovan Defense Ministry and U.S. Embassy Office of Defense Cooperation. Other key partners in attendance were U.S. Defense Attaché MAJ Thomas Butler, U.S. Embassy ODC Chief LTC Gregory Cook, and Romanian Defense Attaché and Marshall Center alumnus CDR Sandu Valentin Mateiu (LC 2003-2).
(l to r) BG Coropcean makes a point to COL (ret.) Muntean as (l t r) COL (ret.) Tudor Colesniuc (SES 2001-2 and SES 2002-5) and COL (ret.) Gheorghe Popa (SES 2001-5) listen in. Both Colesniuc and Popa serve as professors of Defense and Security Affairs.
(l to r) LTC Ghenadie Gore (LC 2002-6), recently assigned as an instructor at the Alexandru-Cel-Bun Military Institute, confers with fellow institute staffer LTC Valeriu Mirza (EP 2004-1) and COL (ret.) Arcadii Iurco (EP 1996-2).
Ms. Vitalia Pavlicenco (SES 2005-5), Moldovan Parliamentarian and Deputy Head of the Parliament’s Foreign Policy European Integration Committee, kept the debate at the event lively.
(l t r) LTC (ret.) Mihai Druta (EP 1994-1), who returned from Italy to attend the event, chats with fellow Marshall Center alumnus and Romanian Defense Attaché CDR Mateiu.
(l to r) MAJ Ion Vulpe (LPASS 2006-1), Mr. Mihail Popa (LC 2003-2), Mr. Georghe Balan (LPASS 2007-7) and Mr. Iosob Andrian (EP 1997-2) after the event.
