Norfolk, VA. - The Deputy Commander of the NATO’s Joint Forces Command in Brunssum, Netherlands, Lieutenant General Fernando Alejandre met up with his younger brother, Colonel Javier Alejandre, during a visit to Norfolk on 14 October. Colonel Javier Alejandre is the Branch Head for Strategic communications at NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Headquarters (HQ SACT) and was delighted to welcome his eldest sibling to the Headquarters.
"It is a privilege to welcome my brother, Lieutenant General Alejandre, to HQ SACT. As engineers, we are quite used to building bridges, but a bond that bridges the Atlantic Ocean as part of the NATO family is very special,” said Colonel Alejandre.
"This is my first visit to the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, since taking up my position as Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces Command. As an operational Command, it is vital that we are ready, capable and trained to lead NATO’s Response Force when called upon and our integral involvement in the NATO Exercise programme, run by HQ SACT, is critical to success,” said Lieutenant General Alejandre.
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to visit [Colonel] Javier while I am here. The miles of ocean may separate us, but we are a very close family and I thoroughly enjoy every opportunity to re-connect”, he said.
Both of these fine NATO officers are Engineers in the Spanish Army and have served their country for a combined 83 years, including numerous operational tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Bosnia during their service.
As the third generation of military service in the Alejandre family, they are very proud of their long family tradition of service and each has children that have continued that tradition. Lieutenant General Alejandre has two sons who are infantry company commanders, while Colonel Alejandre has one son who is serving with the Spanish Special Forces and one daughter, maintaining the engineering tradition as a company commander in the Spanish Airborne Brigade.
Story by ACT PAO