Vice admiral  Mitko Petev

Vice Admiral Mitko A. Petev, Bulgarian Navy, is a native of Shumen, Bulgaria and was born on 30 March 1965.

Vice Admiral Petev is a distinguished graduate of the Bulgarian Naval Academy in Varna, Bulgaria where he got two Master Degrees - Master of Science in Electronics (1989) and Master of Science in Navigation (1995).

From 20 August 1989 to 1992, he served as SAM Weapons Officer on board of the KONI class frigate BGS SMELl in Varna Naval Base followed by assignments on the same ship as Executive Officer (1992-95) and Commanding Officer (1995-98).

In 1998, Vice Admiral Petev attended the U.S. Naval Staff College at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rl, USA. Next year 1999, he graduated from U.S. Joint Forces Command  College  in  Norfolk,  VA,  USA  and  was  assigned  as  a  Senior  Assistant, Operations at the Varna Naval Base HQ.

Vice  Admiral Petev  served from  June  2000 to  July  2002  as  a  Joint  Exercise Planning Staff Officer in the NATO Strategic Allied Command, Atlantic (SACLANT) in Norfolk, VA, USA (now NATO Strategic Allied Command Transformation). Upon completion of his tour in NATO, he was appointed at the Bulgarian Navy HQ in Varna initially as a Senior Staff Officer, Operations (in 2002) and later, from 2003 to 2006 as a Deputy Head of the N-3 "Operations" department.

Vice Admiral Petev assumed again a command at sea as Squadron Commander of the First Patrol Ships Squadron in Varna Naval Base from June 2006 to July 2007.

In August 2007, he reported as a student to the U.S. Naval Command College at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rl, USA and graduated with distinction in 2008.

Vice Admiral Petev was then appointed as Deputy Commander on Operations and Training in Varna Naval Base and in 2009, he received an assignment in the Bulgarian Navy HQ as Chief of N-7 "Force Employment and Training" department. In October 2010, he assumed the position of Assistant to the Chief of Bulgarian Navy for Operations and Training and in June 2011- Chief of Staff of Bulgarian Naval Forces Command.

In December 2011, he assumed command of the Bourgas Naval Base and was promoted to flag officer rank of Commodore.

In June 2014, he was appointed as Commandant of Rakovski National Defense College in Sofia and was promoted to Rear Admiral.

From 30 June 2015 until 22 June 2019, Vice Admiral Petev held the position of Commander of the Bulgarian Navy.

As of 23 June 2019, he is assigned as Bulgarian Military Representative to both NATO MC and EU MC.

Vice Admiral Mitko Petev is married and has two sons.

EDUCATION

1984  Graduated from German Language Highschool, Varna, Bulgaria

1989  Master Degree in Electronics, Bulgarian Naval Academy, Varna, Bulgaria

1995  Master Degree in Navigation, Bulgarian Naval Academy, Varna, Bulgaria

1998  Graduated from U.S. Naval Staff College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA

1999  Graduated from U.S. Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, USA

2008  Graduated  from  U.S.  Naval  Command  College,  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  USA

MILITARY CAREER DEVELOPMENT

1989 Commissioned as Surface Warfare Officer, SAM Weapons Office, FFG "Smeli"

1993 Executive Officer, FFG "Smeli"

1995 Commanding Officer, FFG "Smeli"

1999 Senior Assistant, Operations, Varna Naval Base Headquarters

2000  Joint Exercise Planning Staff  Officer,  NATO Strategic  Allied Command,  Atlantic (SACLANT) in Norfolk, VA, USA

2002 Senior Staff Officer, Operations, N-3 "Operations" Department, HQ Bulgarian Navy

2003 Deputy Chief, N-3 "Operations" Department, HQ Bulgarian Navy

2006 Commander, First Patrol Ships Squadron, Varna Naval Base

2008 Deputy Commander for Operations and Training, Varna Naval Base

2009   Chief, N-7 "Force Employment and Training” Department, Bulgarian Navy Headquarters

2010 Assistant to the Chief of staff of the Bulgarian Navy for Operations and Training

Jun 2011 Chief of Staff, Bulgarian Naval Forces Command

Dec 2011 Commander, Bourgas Naval Base

2014 Commandant, Rakovski National Defence College

2015 Commander of Bulgarian Navy

2019 Bulgarian Military Representative to NATO MC and EU MC

AWARDS

2005- Bulgarian Military Merit Cross Ill Class,

2009- Medal for Outstanding Military Service I Class,

2018- Bulgarian Military Merit Cross I Class.