Lieutenant General Luciano Portolano

Lieutenant General Luciano PORTOLANO received his Commission as Infantry 2nd Lieutenant in 1981 from the Army Military Academy. Upon completion of his Officer's training he was appointed 1st Lieutenant while at the 27th Bersaglieri Battalion in Aviano (Pordenone). 
Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO has commanded at every possible level and has served in a wide variety of assignments, to include: 
  as a Company Grade Officer: rifle platoon leader, rifle Company Commander, HQ Company Commander while serving with 27th  Bn, Ariete Armd Bde; 
  as a Field Grade Officer: Commander, 67th  Bersaglieri Bn of the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment, Commander 18th Bersaglieri Rgt and Commanding General Officer, "Sassari" Mechanized Infantry Brigade;
  as Staff Officer at the Army General Staff: Doctrine and Regulations; Training; Chief of Training and Regulations Section of the Doctrine, Training and Regulations Branch; Chief, Land Operations.
From September 2012 to July 2014, he served at the Joint Operations Headquarters in Rome as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations.
In July 2014 Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO was appointed UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations multinational pacekeeping force in Lebanon until July 2016 (UN SCR 1701).
From September 1st, 2016 to September 1st, 2019, Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO served at the Joint Force Command Naples as Chief of Staff and Head of European Union Command Element.
On September 2nd, 2019, Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO was appointed Chief of Joint Operations and took command of the Italian Joint Operations HQ. During his tenure, he was in charge of directing and coordinating the support provided by the Italian Armed Forces in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 26th, 2021, as a result of the Italian Defence Command Structure Adaptation Process – in accordance with the content of the Chief of Defence Strategic Concept aimed at facing new threats and challenges applying the Multi-Domain Operations concept – Gen. Portolano was promoted 4-star General and took command of the Italian Joint Force Command. In this position, Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO directed and coordinated the operation named “Aquila Omnia”, aimed at evacuating our fellow citizens and afghan civilians from Kabul airport, as a consequence of the Afghanistan collapse in August 2021.
On October 9th, 2021, Lt. Gen. Portolano took office as Secretary General of Defence and National Armaments Director.
Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO has attended the following military schools and courses: Military Academy, Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Basic Airborne School, Basic Mountain Warfare Course, Army Staff College, Army Senior Staff College and Joint Staff College, CBRN School, and the US Army Command and General Staff College - Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas -USA. In addition, he has attended various courses related to the position of Military Attaché in the Mediation and Negotiation, Information, Civil-Military interaction, Budget and Finance, Diplomatic Relations, and major international treaties domain. He has also taken part in Military Advisor for Human Rights and Geneva Convention, Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration Conferences and Courses.
From 2007 to 2010 he also served as Military Attaché at the Italian Embassy, in London, UK. Lt. Gen. PORTOLANO holds a University Degree in Strategic Sciences (University of Turin), a Human Resources and Complex Systems Management Master’s degree (i.e. Studium) and a Master’s degree in Strategic Sciences (University of Turin).

His operational tours include:
UN IRAN-IRAQ Observers Group (1990-1991);
UN IRAQ-KUWAIT Observers Group Plans Officer (1991-1992);
Operation JOINT GUARANTOR (FYROM, 1999), Task Force Commander;
Operation JOINT GUARDIAN (Kosovo, 1999) , Task Force Commander;
Operation ANTICA BABILONIA (IRAQ, 2003), Joint task Group Commander;
Operation ISAF AFGHANISTAN - Regional Command West in Herat (2011-2012), Commanding General Officer;
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Head of Mission and Force Commander (2014 – 2016).
Lieutenant General PORTOLANO has been awarded with several medals, to include:
 U.N. medals,  
 NATO medals,  
 NATO Meritorious  Service Medal (2 awards),  
 EUFOR medal,
 Legion of Merit – degree of Officer (2 awards), 
 Order of Naval Merit –  Degree of Grand Officer  - Brazilian Navy,    
 National Defence System of the Republic of LITHUANIA Medal Of Merit, 
 International Cooperation Slovenian Medal – Medaljo Za Mednarodno Sodelovanje.

Lieutenant General PORTOLANO speaks French and English fluently. He enjoys outdoor activities, playing piano and reading history books.