Who is Sorin Cîrstea, the new councilor appointed by Nicușor Dan: He was decorated with the highest medal in Afghanistan

General Sorin Cîrstea was appointed secretary of the Supreme National Defense Council (CSAT) on Friday by decree signed by President Nicușor Dan. He will replace Mihai Șomordolea, who is leaving the Presidential Administration after 11 years.

General Sorin Cîrstea was awarded the Highest Medal of Ghazi (Hero) in 2017 by the President of Afghanistan for his actions in the war missions in Afghanistan.

“The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, in recognition of the professionalism he has shown in carrying out the missions in support of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Security Forces, awarded Mr. Colonel Sorin Cîrstea the commander of the CJPOTF (Combined Joint Psychological Operations Task Force) within the Resolute Support mission at the end of the mission, the Highest Medal of Ghazi (Hero) Mir Bacha Khan”, announces Nicolae Ciucă, at that time head of the Romanian Army.

According to QMagazine, which took his portrait after he was decorated, Cîrste participated in 5 missions in the Afghanistan and Kosovo theaters of operations, the highest position held being the commander of the Psychological Operations Support Element in Pristina, KFOR and in Kabul, Afghanistan within the ISAF Joint Command (IJC).

During all these years, he was repeatedly decorated as a result of both the activity in the country and from the theaters of operations where he was deployed.

He is a graduate of the “Leontin Sălăjan” Military School of Active Officers, missile weapon and anti-aircraft artillery, graduated from the Faculty of Electromechanics in 1997 and the Faculty of Sciences, majoring in psychology in 2005.

In 2010 he obtained the title of doctor in military sciences and information at the “Carol I” National Defense University, with the thesis “Psychological operations in support of the management of modern military crises and conflicts”, and in 2015 he graduated from the National Defense College, the postgraduate program “Current problems of national security”.