Valas promoted, will command NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo
Gov. Kay Ivey has promoted Col. Matthew Valas to brigadier general as he takes command of NATO Headquarters Sarajevo.
The ceremony was held Friday at Alabama National Guard Headquarters in Montgomery. Ivey was joined by Alabama National Guard Adjutant General David Pritchett.
“We are all very proud of your contributions to the Alabama National Guard and even more proud that you will carry on Alabama‘s tradition of service in your new assignment as commander at NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo,” Ivey told Valas.
Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“How I try to take a look at things — what can I do to fix myself first before I move forward, but I had a lot of leaders that did that for me that pointed me where I was failing and I was able to self correct. So I think that’s ultimately helped me get and just the opportunity, so I just didn’t stay in special forces, I was in the infantry, I worked at the state headquarters, I worked in the Pentagon, so I had multiple opportunities,” Valas said as he looked back on how his experience prepared him for his new mission.
In his previous assignment, Brigadier General Valas served as the commander of the 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
