Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces

General Karel Řehka

 

Education:

  • 1989 - 1993
    Military Grammar School, Opava
  • 1993 - 1997
    Military University of Ground Forces, Vyškov 
  • 1996
    Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom 
  • 1999
    Ranger Course, USA
  • 2000 - 2001
    Military University of Ground Forces, Vyškov
  • 2002
    Joint Terminal Attack Controller Course, United Kingdom
  • 2003
    Field Officers Course – Brigade Staff Course, Military Academy, Brno
  • 2015 - 2016
    General Staff Course, University of Defence Brno
     
 

Service career:

 

  • 1997 - 1998
    Commander, Special Reconnaissance Team, 6th Special Brigade
  • 1998 - 2000
    Commander, Special Forces Team, Special Forces Company, 6th Special Brigade
  • 2000 - 2001
    Senior Staff Officer, Foreign Relations Office 
  • 2001 - 2003
    Commander, JTAC Group, 32nd Tactical Air Force Base
  • 2003
    Senior Staff Officer, Special Forces Center, 6th Special Forces Group
  • 2003 - 2005
    Commander, Special Forces Center, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2005 - 2006
    Chief S5, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2006 - 2009
    Chief S2, HQ ARRC, Rheindahlen, Germany
  • 2009 - 2010
    Senior Staff Officer, Special Forces Directorate
  • 2010 - 2014
    Commander, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2014 - 2017
    Director, Special Forces Directorate
  • 2016
    Promoted Brigadier General 
  • 2017 - 2020
    Deputy Commander, Multinational Division North East, Elblag, Poland
  • 2020 - 2022
    Director of National Cyber and Information Security Agency
  • 2022 
    Promoted Major General
  • July 1, 2022
    Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces
  • May 8, 2023
    Promoted Lieutenant General
  • May 8, 2025
    Promoted General
 

 

 


Deployments:

 

  • 1999 - 2000
    Special Forces Team Commander, 6th Reconnaissance Company, KFOR, Kosovo
  • 2004
    Deputy Commander of Czech Special Forces Contingent, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan
  • 2006 - 2007
    Senior Staff Officer, ISAF, SOCCE, Afghanistan
  • 2007 - 2008
    Senior Staff Officer, ISAF, SOCCE, Afghanistan
  • 2011
    Commander, Czech Special Forces Task Force ISAF, Afghanistan
 

 

 


Decorations:

 

  • Czech Armed Forces Badge of Merit, Class III
  • Czech 1Armed Forces Service Medal, Class I 
  • Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, Class II
  • US Army Commendation Medal
  • NATO Non Article 5 Medal, ISAF
  • Military Intelligence Commemoration Badge
  • NATO 1999 – 2009 Commemoration Badge 
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For Operational  Deployment" - Afghanistan, Class I
  • Czech Armed Forces Medal, Class II
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For Operational Deployment" – Afghanistan, Class II
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For Operational Deployment" – Afghanistan, Class III
  • Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, Class III
  • Czech Armed Forces Medal, Class III
  • Honorary Commemorative Badge "For Service in Peace Operation in the Balkans"
  • NATO Medal "In Service of Peace and Freedom"
  • Military Police Cross
 

 

 


Language

 

  • English, Russian

Updated: July 25, 2025