Major-General 
Wolfgang Wosolsobe of Austria was appointed head of the EU’s military staff. He wins his post over very qualified German officers.

He will receive his post after the military term of the current commander Ton van Osch expires. Wosolsobe has been the head of Austria’s military representation in Brussels since 2007.


Austria will support the EU “Battlegroup” (EUBG) from July 1, 2012 with 350 soldiers and take over the command of the Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSBn) of the unit.

On Friday May 11 20012, Minister Nobert Darabos briefed and highlighted the current and
 future situation of the foreign deployments of Austrian military units during at a press conference held together with the newly appointed director general of the European Union Military Command (EUMS), Major-General Wolfgang Wosolsobe.
According to
Minister Darabos: “Austria currently has about 1500 troops deployed in missions outside of the country”. The Austrian army has soldiers on three contents, among them troops, observers, headquarters personals and experts participating in UN missions, in missions for EU and in missions of NATO as mandated by the UN within the “Partnership for Peace”.

He added: “Austria will have at least 1100 soldiers deployed in international missions; the main areas of deployment will remain in the Middle East and West Balkan”.

Minister Darabos confirmed that Austrian troops will remain deployed beyond 2012 as part of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. He said:
“There will be no withdrawals from the current missions. The deployment of Austrian troops at the UNIFIL in Lebanon will go beyond the year 2012.”

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Minister Darabos supports an engagement of Austria in the EU battle group, but he would like to see a broadened mission for the current units, with humanitarian support included in its mission profile. He said:
“in the second half of 2012, Austria will again participate in the EU Battle Group with 350 soldiers”.

He clarified that Austrian will take over the logistic leadership role and thus be responsible for the installations and the supplies of the battle-group, in partnership with Germany, the Czech Republic and Ireland.

Major General Wosolsobe assured that Austria will remain a reliable partner of the common European security and defense policy. He said that the Battle Group is an important instrument of the EU in international crisis management plans.

After the press conference, Minister Darabos and invited the attending journalists to fly in army helicopters to visit the barracks of the Third Armored Grenadier Brigade (3. Panzergrenadierbrigade) in Mautern north of Vienna, where the Austrian units which will take over the command of the EU Battle Group in July 2012 are currently stationed and conducting exercises. More details about the visit will follow.





In flight near Mautern - Stift Göttweig on mountaintop in the background