(2012 - 2015)
General Petr PAVEL, M. A.
Chief of the General Staff of ACR
Date of Birth: 1 November 1961
Place of Birth: Plana u Marianskych Lazni
Education:
- 1975 – 1979 Military Grammar School, Opava
- 1979 – 1983 Military College of Land Forces, Vyskov
- 1988 – 1991 Postgraduate studies, Military Academy, Brno
- 1995 Staff College, Camberley, United Kingdom, Senior Officers Course
- 2005 Royal College of Defence Studies, London, United Kingdom
- 2005 – 2006 King's College London, United Kingdom, Master of Arts in international relations
Service Career:
- 1983-1985 Special purpose airborne reconnaissance platoon leader
- 1985-1988 Commander, special purpose airborne reconnaissance company
- 1991-1993 Military Intelligence officer
- 1993-1994 Deputy Military and Air Attaché of the Czech Republic to Belgium
- 1994-1996 Military Intelligence officer
- 1996-1997 MA to the Director of Military Intelligence
- 1997-1999 Commander, Special Forces Brigade
- 1999-2002 MA to the Director of Operations, RC North, Brunssum, The Netherlands
- 2002 Deputy Commander, Mechanised Division
- 12 Dec 2002 Appointed Brigadier General
- 2002-2003 Commander, Specialised Forces
- Jan-Apr 2003 National Military Representative at US CENTCOM, Tampa, USA, and at US CENTCOM Forward, Qatar
- 2003-2005 Deputy Joint Forces Commander
- 2006-2007 Deputy Director MoD Ops Division - Director of Operations Branch
- 2007-2009 Deputy Military Representative of the Czech Republic in EU, Brussels, Belgium
- 2010-2011 National Military Representative of the Czech Republic in SHAPE. Mons, Belgium
- 8 May 2010 Appointed Major General
- 1 July 2011 Deputy Chief of the General Staff - Chief of Staff
- 8 May 2012 Appointed Lieutenent General
- 1 July 2012 - 30 April 2015 Chief of the General Staff
- 8 May 2014 Appointed General
- 20 Sep 2014 Elected Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, at its session in Vilnius, Lithuania; to assume the post in June 2015
Decorations and Awards:
- Czech Armed Forces Service Medal 1st Class, XX ribbon bar
- Medal of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, Grades III, II and I
- Cross of Merits of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, Grades III and II
- Service Abroad Medal of the Minister of Defence of the CR for Foreign Service "Kuvajt", Grade III
- Service Abroad Medal of the Minister of Defence "Combat Mission", Grade III
- “Service for Peace“ Badge
- French War Cross with a Bronze Star
- Ordre national de la Legion d'honneur - grade d'Officier
- State Award of the Czech Republic – Medal for Heroism
Languages:
- English, French, Russian
Family Status:
- married, spouse Eva Pavlova, sons Jan and Petr
Hobbies:
- travelling, motocycling, photography and books