Brigadier General Gintautas Zenkevičius

BG Gintautas Zenkevičius assumes the role of Lithuania Military Representative to NATO and the European Union on 9 September 2014.

BG Gintautas Zenkevičius was born in Lithuania in 1962. He joined Lithuanian National Defence Voluntary Service in March 1991 while Lithuania was still under Soviet occupation. In September 1991 he joined Regular Service as an infantry officer and was commissioned in December 1991. From 1991 to 2004 he served in various command and staff positions at National Defence Voluntary Service starting from company commander, battalion commander, territorial defence region commander and finishing as Chief of Staff of National Defence Voluntary Forces.

Since 2001 he was involved in preparing for Lithuania‘s membership to NATO and worked on few MAP cycles. He was ACOS J5 at Lithuania‘s Defence Staff when Lithuania became NATO member in 2004 and worked intensively on preparing for NATO Air Policing mission and adapting NATO Defence Planning Process for Lithuanian Armed Forces.

In 2005 he planned and prepared Lithuania‘s PRT mission in Afghanistan and was the first commander of the PRT the same year.

From 2007 till the end of 2008 he was leading the first Lithuanian Armed Forces transformation Project preparing it and supervising its initial execution. Transformation involved changing national Defence planning process from threat based to capabilities based. Later on he assumed Inspector General of the Ministry of National Defence position.

2010-2013 he served at SHAPE in Director of Management position where he got a lot of experience and knowledge about NATO and ACO internal processes.

From summer 2013 till September 2014 BG Gintautas Zenkevičius was Director General Capabilities and Armaments of the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania. His responsibilities included Armed Forces capabilities planning, Armed Forces Transformation and he is an Armaments Director.

BG Gintautas Zenkevičius has completed the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College in 1999-2000 and the UK Royal College of Defence Studies in 2006, and Kaunas Polytechnic Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electronics and Master of Arts degree in Defence Studies.

He is married to Snieguolė, they have two grown up children – daughter Milda and son Justinas. Milda is a manager and Justinas is an infantry officer.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• 1980-1985 – Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (Lithuania) radio technologist – constructor. 
• 1999-2000 – Joint Services Command and Staff College (UK). 
• 1999-2000 – University of London the King’s College London, Master of Art degree in Defence Studies.
• 2006 – Royal College of Defence Studies (UK).

CAREER EXPERIENCE:

• 1985-1991 – Constructor at the microelectronics firm.
• 1991 – Volunteer at the National Defence Voluntary Service (NDVS).
• 1991-1993 – Company commander at the NDVS Vilnius region.
• 1993-1994 – Battalion commander at the NDVS Vilnius region.
• 1994 – Chief of Staff of the NDVS Vilnius region.
• 1994-1995 – Commander of the NDVS Vilnius region.
• 1995-1996 – Chief of Staff of the NDVS Vilnius region.
• 1996-1997 – Deputy Chief of the Volunteer Commanders’ Training Centre.
• 1997-1999 – Chief of Volunteer Commanders’ Training Centre.
• 2000-2001 – ACOS G3 at National Defence Voluntary Forces HQ.
• 2001-2004 – Chief of Staff of National Defence Voluntary Forces.
• 2004-2005 – ACOS J5 at Defence Staff of Lithuanian Armed Forces.
• June-December 2005 – operational tour - PRT Commander in AFGHANISTAN.
• 2007-2008 – Armed Forces Transformation project leader.
• 2008-2010 – Inspector General of Ministry of National Defence.
• 2010-2013 – Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Director of Management (DOM)
• 2013-2014 – Director General Capabilities and Armaments of Ministry of National Defence
• 2014-09-09 - Lithuania Military Representative to NATO and the European Union

RANKS:

• 1991 – 2nd lieutenant
• 1993 – Lieutenant
• 1995 – Captain
• 1999 – Major
• 2002 – Lieutenant Colonel
• 2005 – Colonel
• 2008 – Brigadier General

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• English, Russian