Colonel Sánchez Arribas, who leads the unit responsible for organizing the 'La Desértica' civic-military race, officially introduced himself to the provincial institution. The provincial delegate for Sport, María Luisa Cruz, also accompanied them.
The president of the Council welcomed the colonel, emphasizing the deep connection between the Legion's base and the province of Almería, referring to it as the "104th municipality" and a hallmark of the region.
Sánchez Arribas has strong ties to Almería, having spent part of his extensive military career at the base in Viator, and his family is from the province. He is a distinguished officer in the Spanish Army's command scale, with a career deeply linked to elite units.
Since December 2025, the colonel has commanded the 'Don Juan de Austria' 3rd Legion Brigade, based in Viator, a unit essential for the Army's projection. Concurrently, he led the Spanish mission SVK-V in Slovakia (December 2025 - June 2026), heading the NATO Multinational Brigade on Europe's eastern flank.
Under his command, the deployed force in Slovakia completed critical training and presence phases, earning recognition from Slovak civil and military authorities as a fundamental pillar of stability in the region.
