(2018 - 2022)

Lieutenant General Ales OPATA

Chief of the General Staff of ACR

Lieutenant General Ales Opata

Lieutenant General Ales OPATA

  • Marital Status: married
  • Date of Birth: 9 September 1964
  • Place of Birth: Hranice, Czech Republic

Education:

  • 1983 - 1987
    Army College in Vyskov, Control and use of combat forces
  • 1998 - 1999
    Command and Staff College of Marine Corps University, Virginia, USA
  • 2004
    Royal College of Defence Studies, London, UK
  • 2012
    Generals, Flag Officers Course, NATO Defence College, Rome, Italy

Service career:

  • 1987 - 1990
    4th Armoured Division in Jihlava, from a tank platoon leader through to armoured battalion commander
  • 1990 - 1992
    Commander of Reserve Training Battalion Group, 13th Tank Material Depot
  • 1994 - 1997
    4th Rapid Deployment Brigade in Havlickuv Brod – positions: training officer of mechanised troops group, training officer of parachute and airborne group, airborne training officer
  • 1998
    Deputy Commander, 43rd Airborne Battalion in Chrudim
  • 1999 - 2003
    Commander, 43rd Airborne Mechanised Battalion in Chrudim
  • 2004 - 2008
    Commander, 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade in Zatec
  • 2008
    Deputy Director, MoD Force Development Division, Director of Operations Department
  • 28 October 2008
    Promoted Brigadier General
  • 2009 - 2010
    Director, MoD Force Development Division – Operations Division
  • 2010 - 2014
    Deputy Chief of General Staff – Director of the MoD Joint Operations Centre
  • 28 October 2011
    Promoted Major General
  • 2014 - 2017
    National Military Representative of the Czech Republic to the NATO SHAPE, Mons, Belgium
  • 1 August 2017
    Deputy Chief of General Staff - Chief of Staff
  • 28 October 2017
    Promoted Lieutenant General
  • 1 May 2018
    Appointed Chief of the General Staff
  • 28 October 2018
    Promoted General

Operational deployments:

  • 1992 - 1993
    UNPROFOR, former Yugoslavia
  • 1995
    UNPROFOR, former Yugoslavia
  • 1996
    NATO IFOR, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 1999 - 2000
    Commander, 43rd Airborne Battalion in SFOR, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 2002 - 2003
    Chief of the Joint Implementation Commission at British-led Multinational Brigade – Centre, and Commander of the CZE Contingent, KFOR, Kosovo
  • 2007
    Commander of the CZE Contingent – Chief of Staff, Provincial Reconstruction Team Feyzabad, ISAF, Afghanistan

Selected decorations:

  • Ordre national de la Legion d'honneur – grade d'officier, France
  • French War Cross with a Bronze Star, France
  • State Defence Cross of Czech Minister of Defence
  • Cross of Merit of Czech Minister of Defence, Class I
  • Czech Armed Forces Honorary Badge of Merit
  • Medal of Czech Minister of Defence for Service Abroad
  • UNPROFOR Operation Medal, Class I
  • NATO IFOR Operation Medal (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • NATO SFOR Operation Medal (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  • NATO KFOR Operation Medal (Kosovo)
  • NATO ISAF Operation Medal (Afghanistan)

Training courses:

  • Instructor of self-defence and MUSADO man-to-man fighting, Grade II
  • Airborne training instructor
  • Airborne specialist badge, Grade I

Language skills:

  • English

Hobbies:

  • Fishing, literature, motorcycling

June 1, 2018