CHIEF OF STAFF

Colonel Ciprian BALICA

 

Colonel Ciprian BALICA assumed duties as Chief of Staff of the HQ Multinational Division South-East on 15th of December 2021. Prior to the current assignment he served as Operations Planner in Romanian Land Forces HQ.

COL BALICA received his commission in 1997 as an infantry officer. He served in various tactical level command and staff positions from infantry platoon leader up to infantry battalion commanding officer.

Starting with 1999, his battalion was nominated to be part of South-East Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG), a seven nation multinational cooperative initiative which opened the venue to, then       2nd LT BALICA, for multinational training and mil to mil engagements. Throughout his career, COL BALICA had been involved on a yearly basis in multinational training, thus keeping him in continuous contact with other militaries.

Later on, in 2004, 1st LT BALICA spearheaded the first deployment of a combat element from Dobrogea region to a real mission, leading an infantry company in support of KFOR mission in Kosovo.

In 2011, COL BALICA deployed to Afghanistan with the Romanian National Training Military Advisor Team in order to support the Coalition effort of building up and training the newly formed Afghan Army.

While serving as commanding officer of 341st Infantry battalion also known as The White Sharks, COL BALICA managed to develop enduring and mutually beneficial training partnerships with US partners stationed at MK base. By doing so, all parties involved succeeded in achieving cooperative planning maturity and coherent maneuver interoperability, therefore ensuring the conditions to prevail in any combined arms conflict. 

COL BALICA considers himself a proud graduate of The Basic School/ United States Marine Corps University, where he attended the Basic Officer Course and Infantry Officer Course in       1999-2000. This early exposure of the young 2nd LT BALICA to the values of HONOUR, COURAGE and COMMITMENT instilled by the US partner educations system, laid the foundation of what it takes to be a leader of soldiers and marines.

His awards include:

  • The “Romanian Military Command Virtue, Officer Rank, with War Signs”
  • The “US Army Commendation Medal”
  • The “NATO non article 5 Medal”
  • The “Honour Emblem of Romanian General Staff”
  • The “Honour Emblem of Romanian Land Forces”
  • The “Meritorius Emblem for Serving in Romanian Armed Forces”

 

He was born on July 11, 1975, in Turnu Măgurele, Teleorman county. He and his wife Mădălina have been married for over twenty years and are the happy parents of two children.