The Chief of Defence presides over the ceremony honouring veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard in Cádiz

• The tribute took place in the port of Cádiz and was attended by the amphibious assault ship “Castilla”.

The Chief of Defence (JEMAD), Admiral General Teodoro E. López Calderón, presided over the main ceremony of the 26th tribute to Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard, which was attended by around 1,000 retired military personnel and their families.

The ceremony was also attended by the Chief of Defence of the Navy (AJEMA), Admiral General Antonio Sánchez Piñeiro, and the Mayor of Cádiz, Bruno García de León, as well as other military and civil authorities. The venue chosen was the ‘Ciudad’ quay in the port of Cádiz, where the amphibious assault ship ‘Castilla’ was moored and more than 500 veterans formed six companies.

The aim of this event, promoted by the Royal Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard since 1999, is to recognise and pay tribute to active military personnel and their colleagues who have served Spain and their families, for their dedication and effort, with the respect and consideration they deserve. Each year, the tribute is held in a different city and one of the armed forces is responsible for organising it. In this case, Cadiz is the chosen location and the Navy is the organiser.

The tribute ceremony began, after the arrival of military and civil authorities and the formal greetings, with the raising of the National Flag. Next, the Chief of the Defence and the Deputy Chief of the Defence proceeded to award two decorations. For his part, the president of the Royal Brotherhood of Veterans presented the ‘Lieutenant Ballenilla’ award to Navy Corporal Francisco Manuel Alvariño Palacios, from the crew of the frigate ‘Santa María’, for his actions during the ‘Emergency Response in the Aquatic Environment’ course in 2024, where he saved the life of a National Police officer while conducting underwater training exercises.  

In his speech, Admiral General Teodoro E. López Calderón expressed the admiration and emotion felt by active personnel towards the commitment and patriotism shown by all veterans. On behalf of all of us who are still active or in the reserve, I would like to reiterate my gratitude for your effort, dedication, professionalism and, especially, for the legacy I mentioned, which has resulted in the magnificent Armed Forces and Civil Guard Corps we have today. You and your legacy, as indicated by the Armed Forces' RR.OO., are a source of encouragement for us to continue on our path, advancing step by step."

Afterwards, tribute was paid to those who gave their lives in defence of Spain. A representation of veterans' groups, carrying their flags, approached the monolith dedicated to the fallen, while two military widows laid a laurel wreath accompanied by the Chief of Defence and the President of the Royal Brotherhood of Veterans.

At the end of the military ceremony, the anthems of the Navy and the Royal Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and Civil Guard were sung, followed by a parade of the Armed Forces and the Veterans' Group.

Royal Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard

The Brotherhood was founded in Valladolid on 18 February 1957 as the ‘Brotherhood of Retired Armed Forces Personnel’ for retirees, reservists, widows and orphans of the three branches of the armed forces and the Civil Guard. In 1996, it was renamed the ‘Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces,’ which was changed in June 2005 to the ‘Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard.’ On 5 February 2007, His Majesty the King granted the Brotherhood the title of ‘ROYAL’, and it was renamed the ‘Royal Brotherhood of Veterans of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard’.