36 Years of Military Career, 26 years in Command, 8 Years as Chief Inspector: Colonel Ioan Bogdănescu

Born in April 28th 1961, he started his military career in 1980 when he was matriculated at the Military Officers School in Piteşti, being recruited by the Hunedoara Firefighters’ Group.

He graduated from it in 1983, in August 23rd being promoted as lieutenant and assigned to the Dolj Firefighters’ Group. In June 1st 1985, he was transferred to the Arad Firefighters’ Group as main officer I with the Logistics department, and in August 23rd 1987 was promoted as lieutenant major. In April 10th 1990, he was promoted as captain, and starting with May 1st 1990 he was deputy in logistics to the commander of the Firefighters’ Group.

In September 13th 1995, he was promoted as a major. In August 1st 2000, he was promoted as lieutenant colonel. Starting with December 15th 2004, at the same time with the founding of the „Vasile Goldiş” Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Arad county, by unification of the Inspectorate for Civil Protection with the „Vasile Goldiş” Firefighters’ Group, he was the head of the Logistics Department.

In August 1st 2005, he was promoted as colonel. Starting with March 15th 2008, he was the chief inspector of the „Vasile Goldiş” Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Arad. Over the 36 years of military career, he was awarded the following distinctions for special merits: Military Merit class I, Military Merit class II, Military Merit class III, the “Serving the Country” honorary badge for XV, XX and XXV years of military career, Certificate of Merit class III for humanitarian acts and the “Bravery and Commitment” order as knight, awarded by Presidential Decree.

In the years when he worked as deputy in logistics to the commander of the Firefighters’ Group, he decisively contributed to the development of the Body, and in 1995 he managed to start two new subgroups in Gurahonţ and Sebiş. In 2008, as head of the Logistics Department, he managed, by financial support of the County Council of Arad, to start the Intervention Guard in Chişineu Criş and the first SMURD module in Arad county. Starting with March 2008, when he was given the command of the Inspectorate, he also started five other SMURD modules in all the Inspectorate subgroups, and in 2010, again by support of the County Council of Arad, started a new intervention subgroup in Birchiş and the 7th Smurd module, the moment when there finally was a balance between the intervention forces in the county. Due to all these alterations on the operational status, in 2015, by aid of the Local Council in Vladimirescu, there opened the Vladimirescu Work Spot with the 8th Smurd module.

As chief inspector and vice-president of the County Committee for Emergency Situations, he supervised all the emergency situations occurring within Arad county over the last eight years. The „Vasile Goldiş” Inspectorate for Emergency Situations in Arad was during these years one of the elite units within the Ministry of the Interior.

I had the chance of personally knowing Colonel Ioan Bogdănescu, in his job as chief inspector of the Arad Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. He is a man of exemplary moral honesty, for whom the development of the unit under his command and the well being of his subordinates was not a goal, but a way of living. His towering figure, his insightful and sharp eyes, firm voice showed, beyond any doubt, that one could witness a career officer, a commander.

Under his command, the Inspectorate witnessed undeniable progress, a continuous development that covered improvements such as: equipment with arsenal and the construction of new, modern subunits. I never understood the reason why the Arad Inspectorate was considered of a second degree rank, taking into account the development of the last years. Colonel Bogdănescu was the right man in the right place. Extremely modest with his own accomplishments, always conciliatory, full of appreciation towards his colleagues and his counterparts in the country. A balanced person who leaves behind not only a uniformly developed unit, but also a whole range of local, national and international relations.

Colonel Bogdănescu managed to be the COMMANDING MAN, dedicated to the people with whom he worked and to those whom he protected as a FIREFIGHTER.

We can only congratulate him on his wonderful military career, sincerely thank him for all the good things that he left behind and wish him a long and happy pension! Audacia et devotio!