Vice Admiral Rinaldo Veri is President of the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, the National Defense University based in Rome. After having been appointed as a Commander of the Naval Forces of the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples on 10 March 2011, V. Adm. Veri assumed the command of NATO Maritime Forces in the Operation “Unified Protector” in Libya from 23rd March to 31st October 2011. Former Chief of Staff of the Italian Joint Operations Headquarters, V. Adm. Veri held various other prestigious positions, such as Commander Italian Front Line Naval Forces, Commander Italian Maritime Forces, Head of the General Plans Department at the Navy General Staff, Italian Senior National Representative in USCENTCOM (Florida) for Operation Enduring Freedom. V. Adm. Veri has also commanded the following ships: the FPB “Lampo”(1982-1983), the corvettes “Aquila”(1983-1984), “De Cristofaro” and “Todaro”(1990-1991), the frigate “Espero”(1991-1992) and the destroyer “Durand de la Penne”(1997-1999).