Former MNC NE Commander General Egon Ramms visited Afghanistan
"I do not consider myself a visitor" former MNC NE Commander General Egon Ramms emphasizes right at the beginning of his repeated visit to Afghanistan. The German four-star general is now in command of Joint Force Command based in the Dutch city of Brunssum, a NATO-headquarters coordinating the ISAF-mission in Afghanistan. Accordingly, Ramms is superior of the international protection force, considering the permanent coordination with the forces on the spot an important basis of his work.
It’s no wonder, therefore, that the tour of several days takes the general officer to all parts of the country. In addition to intensive discussions with the ISAF-command, General Ramms maintains contacts with international organizations as well. He attaches particularly great importance to the dialogue with the country’s political leadership as well as with regional and local authorities.
It is the general officer’s firm belief that “the political mission must under no circumstances be neglected while carrying out the military mission”. This political mission is to support the Afghani government as well as its army and security forces in order to make sure that within a foreseeable period of time Afghanistan can turn into a country relying on its own forces and assets. “The individual Afghani citizens must feel that they and their families are better off and that people have a basis for their livelihood.”
Until the end of last year, General Ramms had been commander of Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) based in Szczecin. Since many soldiers of the Szczecin-based corps are serving at present in the ISAF-headquarters as well, some of them had a joyful reunion with "their general officer" these days. He expressed his conviction that all soldiers of MNC NE "will do a very good job in fulfilling their tasks".
In the picture: General Egon Ramms (left) and Colonel G.S. Rolf Wagner.
