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OEIRAS, Portugal – STRIKFORNATO honoured Captain Rui Parreira (Portuguese Navy) for his service as Deputy Chief of Staff Support, from September 2021 to December 2022, on his final day of duty, on December 16.

Captain Rui Parreira has reached the end of a long and distinguished career after 37 years of dedicated service in the Portuguese Navy, finishing as Deputy Chief of Staff Support (DCOS Support) at Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), with an Award Ceremony, presided by STRIKFORNATO’s Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Michael Wosje (United States Navy).

Besides serving as Senior National Representative for Portugal, coordinating with the Portuguese Chief of Naval Staff to increase STRIKFORNATO’s visibility in the Alliance, he also had a superior performance of duty as DCOS Support.

He provided expert logistics advice and guidance in support of a myriad of activities, such as Baltic Operations 22 (BALTOPS 22), NEPTUNE CHALLENGE, NEPTUNE STRIKE and NEPTUNE SHIELD. Reduto Gomes Freire Coordination Group (Oeiras) members and Captain Parreira collaborated to foresee and address infrastructure issues.

His close collaboration with NATO Maritime Geo-meteorological and Oceanographic Centre of Excellence (NATO MGEOMETOC COE) provided STRIKFORNATO with valuable information and performance on a variety of activities.

Captain Parreira’s distinctive accomplishments have brought great honour to his service, STRIKFORNATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Portuguese Navy and Portugal.

Along his carreer, he was awared with several decorations and commendations.

Joined the Portuguese Naval Academy in 1985 and graduated in 1990 with a master ‘s degree in Naval Military Sciences – Naval Engineering Mechanics, he served at sea on different types of warships, participating in numerous national and international exercises and operations.

Ashore, Captain Parreira’s service in Portuguese is highlighted as Project Manager at Arsenal do Alfeite Shipyard (1998 – 2002), at the Portuguese Naval Academy as a Teacher and member of the Naval Research Center (2002-2011) and at Infrastructure Directorate as the Deputy Director of Infrastructures (2018-2020).

STRIKFORNATO thanks Captain Rui Parreira for his extraordinary contribution to our mission, while serving as DCOS Support and wishes him “fair winds and following seas”!