Deputy Chief of Staff Support

2004-

Major General Maurizio Ruggeri

Born in Tivoli (Rome) in 1951, Major General Maurizio Ruggeri joined the Army in 1970 as an Officer Cadet at the Army Academy in Modena. In 1972 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and commissioned in the Combat Engineers. Engineer Officer training was successfully completed in 1974 as was followed by the “Top Patroller/Survival” and “Parachutist” courses.

Promoted to First Lieutenant in 1974, he was assigned to the 2d Floating Bridges Regiment where he served as Platoon Cdr, Company Cdr and Staff Officer until September 1984. During this assignment, he also attended a number of courses including “CIMIC Ops.” He was promoted Captain in 1977 and to Major in 1984.

From September 1984 until July 1985 he attended the Italian Army Staff Course. Upon completion he was ordered to the Italian Army General Staff, where he served as Staff Officer within the Infrastructure Branch. In 1986 he was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 1987 he was selected to attend the Italian Army Superior Staff Course at the end of which, in 1988, he was reassigned to the Army General Staff.

MG Ruggeri was a student at the US Army Command and General Staff College, Leavenworth, Kansas, Class of 1990. Returning to Italy, he was appointed Commander of the 3d Combat Engineer Battalion where he served until August 1992. He then returned to the Army General Staff as Chief of the Combat Engineer Equipment Section, serving in this assignment for almost 3 years. In January 1995 he was promoted to Colonel. While at the Army General Staff, he was the Italian delegate to the FINABEL Engineer Group.

In September 1995 he was assigned to command the 2d Floating Bridges Regiment. In September 1996 he received orders to report to IFOR Headquarters, Sarajevo. He was Chief of Engineer Resources Branch and Chief of Regional Engineer Offices until June 1997 (SFOR).

Returning to Italy, MG Ruggeri served at the Secretariat general of Defence, as Chief of the Infrastructure Branch, until September 1999. This was followed by the assignment to SHAPE—Mons—as Chief of Security Investment Branch until October 2000. While in Belgium, he was promoted Brigadier General in January 2000. He was then appointed Deputy Commander at the Army Engineer School and, in June 2001, he was assigned to command the Combat Engineer Brigade.

His next assignment was as Deputy Inspector and Coordinator General. He earned the rank of Major General in January 2004 and assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Staff Support, SHAPE on 1 November 2004.

Main courses attended and degrees earned (both military and civilian) also include NATO C-30 Course (Resources Management Education Programme), Engineering Sciences, and Strategic Sciences.

MG Ruggeri’s personal decorations include: Officer of the Order of Merit of Republic of Italy, Knight of the Order of Merit of St. Gregorio Magno, Silver Cross for Operations in Bosnia, Bronze Medal for Command and Gold Cross for Seniority of Duty.