Major General Alejandro Escámez Fernández, new Head of the Canary Islands Command, He swore to fulfill the obligations of his position in a formal act held in the Throne Room of the Palace of Captaincy of Santa Cruz de Tenerife at noon this Friday. General Escámez recalled that 36 years ago he first set foot on Tenerife. He was fresh out of the General Military Academy and came as a lieutenant to the Tenerife 49 Infantry Regiment, in Las Raíces. In his speech yesterday, he pointed out that “today I am walking again” around the Island “with the same enthusiasm and passion as before.” In his speech, he stated that he proposes “keep preparation standards in optimal condition of the General Command of this Command to tackle the tasks related to defense of sovereignty, the foreign action, the support to other institutions or authorities, Or in her case, for the military response “. He recognized that “risks and threats evolve and that, therefore, our procedures must be in continuous evolution“.
Bet on adopt the new sequence of employment in foreign operations and in this sense support the contingent generated by this Command to carry out tasks in Lebanon, Turkey or Iraq, as well as “continue contributing to cooperative security activities in the countries around us in North Africa“.
“We will continue to contribute to cooperative security in North Africa”
He expressed his willingness to send the Canary Islands Command units to training centers on the Peninsula to “train essential capabilities or to participate in the main exercises of our Army or Armed Forces.”
He also undertook to improve “the infrastructures for instruction and training, as well as those for life and operation.” In addition, he raised the importance of joining the challenges of digital transformation or that of material resources, with the incorporation of the new logistics transport ship Ysabel.
He expressed his interest in continuing to collaborate “decisively, frankly and loyally” with local, regional and national authorities, “being a participant in the multicultural and social heritage of all the cities that host us.”
Considers anticipation and organization important, making the most of time and resources, assuming that inaccuracies or mistakes have pernicious consequences, therefore defending precision and efficiency, “removing or overcoming obstacles to continue progressing, innovating and adding value to what let it be done “, as well as avoiding tedium and routine, therefore apply imagination in the way of instructing and training.
He encouraged his subordinates to act “with initiative and a critical spirit, to always be ready to contradict without obstinacy “, as well as to flee from relativism, especially morality.
“I know that I am joining in some difficult moments for the Islands, and particularly for La Palma,” said the new head of the Canary Islands Command. “But I join with the mandate of being available when necessary to provide the support that mitigates this or any other situation, in collaboration with the rest of the essential services of our islands or in any part of the geographical scope that commits this command”, in in relation to Ceuta, Melilla or the Balearic Islands, Escámez pointed out.
“You have to avoid boredom and routine, and apply imagination when training and instructing”
The new head of the Canary Islands Command had words of remembrance for his predecessor, Lieutenant General Carlos Palacios Zaforteza, who is currently serving as second chief of the Army General Staff. “Throughout these years there have been many achievements in the organizational, institutional, operational, resources, or facing complex situations in the framework of Balmis, Baluarte operations or derived from migratory pressure,” said the general of Division.
Along these lines, he admitted that “it leaves me the benchmark of efficiency in a very high place, but this will give me additional motivation to try to enrich what I receive in order to permanently apply continuous improvement,” said Escámez, who He clarified that he will spare no time or effort.
The head of the Canary Islands Command stated that “I am and I feel like a soldier with spirit and inter-weapon training, who believes in teamwork as a multiplying factor of individual value. “In addition, he thinks that” morale is the greatest enhancer of combat capacity.
