General Rolando MOSCA MOSCHINI was born in Umbria on 9th March 1939, is married to Amalia and has a daughter, Paola. He attended the "Nunziatella" Military School, the Military Academy, the Junior Officers School, the Staff College and the Centre for High Defence Studies. He has University Degrees in Strategic Sciences and Sociology. He was appointed Officer on 1st September 1959, commanded artillery units of the 3rd Corps, of the "Folgore" and "Mantova" Divisions. Moreover, he was Deputy Commander of the "Vittorio Veneto" armoured Brigade and Commander of the "Granatieri di Sardegna" mechanised Brigade. Within the Army General Staff, he served as Director of Personnel, Chief Military Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff and Director of Operations, Training and Doctrine. In this last appointment, he co-ordinated the activities during the "Albanian refugees" emergency, the protection of sensitive national targets during the Gulf War and the deployment of the Italian military contingent in the "Provide Confort" operation in support of the Kurds in Northern Iraq. From 1991 to 1993 he was Deputy General Secretary of the Executive Committee for the Intelligence and Security Services. Abroad, he served, for two years, within the Headquarters of the 3rd British Division (United Kingdom Mobile Force), and, for three years, he was Military Attachè to the Italian Embassy in London. In 1993 he was appointed Military Advisor to the Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, took part in the 48th, 49th and 50th United Nations General Assemblies and was member of the Italian Delegation in the Security Council. In 1996 he commanded the 3rd Corps. Since January 1997 he has been Commanding General of the "Guardia di Finanza" (Economic and Financial Police). On April 1st, 2001 he was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff.