Senate Committee Gives Green Light, Eric Wendy Ambassador to Albania

With 19 votes pro and 3 against, the committee has given the green light to the United States president's proposal. His name is expected to pass to the Senate's plenary session, meaning the final word.

Wendt's appointment was supported by most commission members, including senators from both main parties, in a vote leading the candidacy a step closer to final confirmation in the Senate.

Who's Eric Wendt?

Eric P. Wendt belongs to a generation of American officers who were formed at the end of the Cold War and tested on the most complex global security grounds in the decades to come.

Exiting the program ROTC at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1986, entered the Army as an infantry officer, but soon guided his career to the most elite and invisible world of special operations.

The report underlines its long military experience and leadership skills as the basis for appointment to Tirana, considering its candidacy important for strengthening bilateral relations between the US and Albania.

Retired General Eric Wendt works as a professor of practice, teaching the Commanding and Leadership of the Navy Passive School.

While still in active uniform service as a general, he was engaged in Europe and served as Chief of Special Operations Staff of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

He commanded all Special Operations Forces assigned to NATO (including Albanian Special Operations Units) and has worked in Albania with defence and military leaders.

Earlier, he served for a year in Afghanistan as deputy Regional Commander, including the oversight of military officers from Albania.

Over the more than 34 years of active service, he has held several senior command positions and has led organisations of up to thousands of military, civilian and inter-institution personnel.

He has worked for the American State Department for two years as an important part of the US Embassy in Jerusalem, where he led a coalition of eight countries as the United States Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and reported directly to the State Secretary.

His extensive experience in leadership, the proven ability to manage complex multinational and inter-institution organisations, as well as his regional expertise across Europe make Lieutenant General (at retirement) very qualified to serve as ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Albania.

Lieutenant General Wendt has completed Bachelor studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master's degree at the Navy Passive School in Monterey, California. He speaks Arabic and Korean. He has been honoured with numerous awards and decorations, including the Medal of the Protected Defence Service, the Medal of the Fear Service, the Medal of the Bronz Star, and the US State Department's High Honor Award./ Periscope.