NEWS RELEASE                                                                                        
27 June 
2008
 
NEW CHAIRMAN OF 
THE NATO MILITARY COMMITTEE
 
BRUSSELS -- Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, 
former Chief of the Italian Defense Staff, assumed today the position of 
Chairman of the NATO Military Committee – NATO’s top military officer – from 
outgoing Canadian Gen. Ray Henault, who will return to 
Canada to retire after three years as the 
Chairman and 40 years of military service.
 
“I am honoured by the confidence shown in me 
through my election by fellow Chiefs of Defense,” said Adm. Di Paola.  “The reform and transformation agenda under 
Gen. Henault’s leadership have situated the Military Committee to configure 
itself better to address the security challenges of today and 
tomorrow.”
 
“My first thought goes to the almost 70,000 
women and men who are serving the cause of peace every day under the NATO flag, 
from Kosovo to Iraq to 
Afghanistan,” said Adm. Di Paola. “I am strongly committed to continuing the 
process of shaping NATO military structures and policies. Building on the 
relationships we have with new partners and new members-to-be will also be a top 
priority of mine.”
 
The Chairman of the Military Committee is the principal 
military advisor to the Secretary General and the North Atlantic Council, and 
the conduit through which consensus-based advice from NATO’s Chiefs of Defence 
is brought forward to the political decision-making bodies of NATO. 
 
“It has been a tremendous time to serve at the 
heart of the most important security organisation in the world,” 
said Gen. Henault, 
Chairman of NATO Military Committee since June 2005. “The speed and pace of activity and reform 
at NATO these past three years have been relentless. We’ve conducted operations 
on four continents. We’ve increased our footprint in 
Afghanistan from about 5,000 to more than 50,000 and have 
maintained capable and responsive forces in Kosovo. We’ve developed advice in 
support of two Summits and are preparing for another 
Summit in 2009, which is the 60th 
anniversary year both for the Alliance and the Military 
Committee.”
 
“We have also made real progress on 
transforming our organisation, building needed military capabilities and 
deepening our partnerships” continued Gen. Henault. “Of course, much more needs to be done, 
but I am hopeful that the ongoing review of the NATO command structure, flowing 
from the establishment of a new level of ambition for the 
Alliance in 2006, will be a catalyst for the military 
component of this organisation to become more deployable, more effective and 
more efficient. Admiral Di Paola is exceptionally capable of taking this work 
forward.” 
 
Since 
1963, when the position was made full-time and determined by election, the 
position has been held by 16 officers from: 
Germany (5 times), the 
United 
Kingdom (three times),  
Canada (twice), 
Norway (twice), 
Italy (now twice, with Adm. Di Paola); 
and Belgium and the 
Netherlands (once each).  
Images of the 
handover ceremony and further information concerning the Chairmanship of the 
NATO Military Committee can be found at www.nato.int/ims.