Allied Joint Force Command Naples
Naples, Italy
Chief of Staff and Head of European Union Command Element
Lieutenant General Ignazio Gamba
Lieutenant General Ignazio GAMBA was born in Chieri (TO) on February 19, 1961. From 1982 to 1986 he attended the 164th Course of the Military Academy in Modena and the Application School of Turin at the end of which he graduated in strategic sciences.
On September 1, 1986 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
On 5 January 1987 he was assigned to the "Susa" Alpine Battalion, where he held the post of Platoon Commander until 26 June 1988; later he was assigned to the Alpini Paratroopers Company, where he held the positions of Company Deputy Commander and later Company Commander until January 1989.
Once promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 September 1990, he commanded the 22nd Company of the "Saluzzo" Alpini Battalion and the "Monte Cervino" Alpini Paratroopers Company (from 25 August 1992 to August 25, 1994).
At the end of the 121st General Staff course (academic year 1994 - 1995), he was assigned to the 4th Alpine Corps in Bolzano, where he held the position of Training and Air and Terrestrial Cooperation Branch Head (from the 29th June 1995 to July 13, 1996).
From 14 July 1996 to 31 March 1998, he returned to the 4th “Monte Cervino” Parachute Alpine Regiment and held the positions of G1 and Deputy Battalion Commander.
He was promoted to the rank of Major on January 1, 1997.
From April 1, 1998 he studied English at the SLEE in Perugia and then graduated from the 1st ISSMI Course in Rome (academic year 1998-99).
On September 15, 1999, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On 30 September 1999 he was assigned to the ARRC HQ in Rheindahlen (DEU), where he held the role of Training Officer. He returned to Iand was appointed Commander of the "Monte Cervino" Alpine Parachute Battalion and was simultaneously deployed to Afghanistan.
On 20 October 2003 he was assigned to the Defence General Staff as Military Policy Office Section Head He was promoted to the rank of Colonel on 1 January 2006.
On 29 June 2007 he assumed the Command of the 4th "Monte Cervino" Parachute Alpine Regiment.
From 24 August 2009 to 29 August 2012, he was assigned to the position of Deputy Military Advisor and Military Attaché for the Army at the European Union HQ in Brussels.
He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on 10 February 2012 and he assumed the position of Commander of the "Julia" Alpini Brigade and of the Multinational Land Force until 18 September 2014.
On 29 September 2014 he was assigned to the Army General Staff as Deputy Head of the General and Financial Planning Department.
He was promoted to the rank of Major General on July 1, 2016.
From 1 August 2016 to 31 June 2019 he was assigned to SHAPE in Mons as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans.
From 1 August 2019 he is the Deputy Commander for the Territory of the Alpine Troops Command.
He participated in the following operations abroad:
- "Albatros" in Mozambique (from March 26, 1993 to June 29, 1993) as Company Commander;
- ISAF in Afghanistan (from 5 May 2002 to 12 September 2002) as Commander of the Task Force;
- ISAF in Afghanistan (November 28, 2008 to July 6, 2009) as Commander of the Mentor Liaison Team at HERAT;
- ISAF XX in Afghanistan (from March 24 to September 09) as Commander of the West Regional Command.
His military decorations includes:
- Gold Cross of Merit of the Italian Army (ISAF 2002);
- Bronze Cross of Merit of the Italian Army (ISAF 2013);
- Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Long Command Bronze Medal of the Italian Army;
- Long service gold cross of the Italian Army;
- Bronze medal of merit from the Italian army for extended aviation service;
2 - Italian commemorative cross for the peace operation in Mozambique;
- United Nations commemorative medal for the peace operation in Mozambique;
- Slovenian Armed Forces Medal "Zlata Medalja"; Commemorative Medal of the NATO ISAF Mission.
Lieutenant General Ignazio GAMBA is married to Mrs. Sophia Catharina Louisa Bunck with whom he has two children, Luca Marco and Sandro Jan
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