GENERAL SIR MIKE DAVID JACKSON VISITS KFOR HEADQUARTERS

Pristina, September 20th 2016. General Sir Mike David Jackson, 1st COMKFOR, visited NATO KFOR Headquarters in Pristina/Prishtinë, where he was warmly welcomed by KFOR Commander, Major General Giovanni Fungo and by the CSM who received him saying: "welcome back, Sir.” During the visit, Sir Mike laid wreaths at the monuments dedicated to the KFOR service members and to the 14 UK servicemen who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace while on operations in Kosovo. This solemn event was attended by British Ambassador to Kosovo Ruairí O’Connell and representatives of various military contingents serving in KFOR.

COMKFOR deeply appreciated and was honoured by General Sir Mike’s visit, who in 1999 was the first Commander of KFOR after the mission was initiated in Kosovo following the 1999 conflict and was COMKFOR from 10 June 1999 to 08 October 1999. His tenure as COMKFOR was captured in an iconic painting by Nick Bashall, commissioned to commemorate key negotiations that took place in the ‘’Batcave’’ at KFOR HQ, so named because the original room was high ceilinged, dark and cavernous, hence its humorous linkage to a bat cave.

Sir Mike in his response to the sincere and warm words of appreciation from the new COMKFOR expressed his desire that KFOR would successfully continue in progressing its mandate and that the future would see peace and stability maintained and secured throughout Kosovo and for its entire people. Upon his return to the UK in late 1999, Sir Mike Jackson was promoted to full General and appointed Commander-in- Chief, Land Command. After three years in this appointment, Jackson was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS), in 2003. He retired from the Army in 2006 after 45 years dedicated and distinguished service, for not only his country but the international community.