A couple of days ago, the General Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro, Commander of the National Army, announced that he is retiring from the National Army after 40 years of service. In accordance with your announcement made in Nilo (Cundinamarca)chose this date to end his work in the National Army: “The day this soldier after 40 years of service (…) I will say goodbye to the Colombian people“.
With the departure of Zapateiro, The expectation was great for who would occupy the command of the Army in the face of the new government of the elected president, Gustavo Petro.
Sources close to the National Army confirmed to RCN Mundo that as of July 20, Major General Carlos Iván Moreno Ojeda will be the new commander in charge of the National Army.
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The major general is currently the second in command of the Army. He is an engineer by profession and has been in the military for 36 years. He was born in Bucaramanga.
Among the positions held by the new commander of the Army, the following stand out: Mobile Brigade Commander No. . 22, Second Commander and Chief of Staff Mobile Brigade n°. 22, Vergara y Velasco Battalion Commander and Staff Officer of the Rapid Deployment Force.
General Moreno also has an extensive academic career. He is a professional in Military Sciences and Civil Engineering from the School of Military Engineers. He also has three specializations: in finance and public administration from the Nueva Granada Military University, another in Comprehensive Works Management from the School of Engineers and in Senior Management from the Universidad de los Andes.
In terms of his military skills, it is evident that he has extensive travel and military course certifications. He took a Weapons orientation for Cadets (Fort Benning US Army School of the Americas), has another course in Military Parachuting (School of Lanceros), in Drilling Wells (School of Engineers), a basic course in Counterguerrillas Rural (School of Lancero), another training course for instructors (School of the Americas) and a course on International Law of Armed Conflicts, Human Rights and Legal Processes (National Army – Colombian Military Forces)
throughout his career He has received dozens of medals and awards:
- Order of Military Merit “José María Córdoba” knight, officer, Commander
- Francisco José de Caldas Military Medal
- Tower of Castile Medal
- Military Merit Order “Antonio Nariño, officer, Commander
- Distinguished Service Medal in Public Order, For the Second Time
- Military Medal Military School of Cadets
- Military Medal distinguished services to the Command of the Armed Forces
- Southern Campaign Military Medal
- Service Time Medal (twenty-five years)
- Military Medal Ministry of National Defense
- Faith in the Cause Medal
- Military Medal Distinguished Services in Special Operations
- Rafael Navas Pardo Medal
- Medal for Time of Service Fifteen years
- General Francisco Javier Vergara y Velasco Medal
- Twenty Years Service Medal
- Interlanza Cross of Honor Medal
- Military Medal José Celestino Mutis Bossio School of Arms and Services
- General Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera Military Police Medal of Merit
- San Gabriel Military Communications Medal
- Military Medal School of Professional Soldiers Lieutenant General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
- Military Medal School of Noncommissioned Officers of the Army Sergeant Inocencio Chincá
- Simona Duque Alzate Medal
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