Army Lieutenant General  Juan Martin Villalón

Military Representative – Spain
2009

  • Last updated: 04 Feb. 2010 08:27
Juan Martin Villalón, Military Representative of Spain

Born in Melilla on February 14th, 1951, he joined the Army Military School, Class of 1969, and was promoted to Artillery First Lieutenant in July 1973.

As a First Lieutenant, he served in Hawk Surface to Air Missile Battalion, based at San Roque (Cádiz).

As a Captain, a tour of duty with the Special Military School located in Madrid, where he served as an Instructor in Tactics and Logistics, was followed by a tour at the SAM-Hawk Battalion as an Air Defense Battery Commander. Completion of the SAM-Hawk Missile Tactical Officer Training Course in the USA saw his return to SAM-Hawk Battalion.

In May 1987 he was promoted to Major. Graduation from Command and General Staff Course in Madrid preceded a return to the Army General Staff College in Madrid then he moved to the Joint Staff Intelligence Division in Madrid, after attending Joint Advanced Intelligence Course.

After a six-month period as a Public Information Officer at the UNPROFOR Forward Command Post, in Sarajevo (BiH), he moved to the Chief of Defense Personnel Staff Office, followed by a two-year tour in the Cabinet of the Ministry of Defense.

1995 saw Lieutenant Colonel Villalón assume the command of the 12th Field Artillery Battalion of the Armoured Brigade before moving to Strasbourg (France), where he was assigned to the Eurocorps HQ as a Chief of Field Artillery Branch for a three-year period, being promoted to Colonel in December 1998.

Back in Spain, he led the International Relations Centre of Army Staff before assuming the 11th Field Artillery Regiment, leading twice the Eurocorps live firing exercise THOR.

Two years later, Colonel Villalón served, as a Military Advisor, in the Undersecretary of Defence Cabinet, Ministry of Defence in Madrid.

Promoted to Brigadier General in February 2004, he assumed command of Artillery School in Segovia before moving to the Ministry of Defence, in Madrid, leading the Secretary of Defence Technical Cabinet Office for a four-year period.

In April 2007 he was promoted to Major General and he went to the Army General Staff appointed as a Head of the Plans Division. He

has completed the National Defence Course (Highest Defense Studies) in 2009.

In August 2009 he was promoted to Lieutenant General, before being appointed to take over the Spanish MILREP responsibilities at the NATO HQ, in Brussels from September 1st 2009.

General Villalón graduated as Statistical Mathematics licentiate and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science. He also completed several national and international military courses.

General Villalón´s most relevant decorations are as follows:

  • Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
  • Grand Cross of Military Merit (Army)
  • Grand Cross of Naval Merit (SP Navy)
  • Insignia, Knight Commander and Cross of the Royal and Military
  • Order of San Hermenegildo
  • Three Crosses of Military Merit (Army)
  • Silver Cross of Civil Guard Merit (SP Guardia Civil)
  • Cross of Naval Merit (SP Navy)
  • Cross of Aeronautical Merit (SP Air Force)
  • UNPROFOR Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal (USA)

General Villalón speaks English, French and Italian and has some knowledge of German. General Villalón and his wife Mercedes have two sons.