Lieutenant-General Paulo José Reis Mateus

Lieutenant-General Paulo José Reis Mateus was born on March 1, 1964.

In October 1982, he joined the Air Force Academy and concluded the bachelor's degree of Aerospace Military Sciences in 1987, as a Lieutenant.

He got his pilot wings in the Cessna T-37 in 1987, at Air Base 1, in Sintra.

He attended the Helicopter Complementary Course in ALIII that same year, where he managed to qualify as Operational Pilot in Flight Squadron 552. During this period, he performed numerous important duties such as Flight Safety Officer, Head of the Evaluation and Standardization Office and Instructor Pilot.

In 1994, he concluded the Complementary Piloting Course in the multiengine aircraft CASA-212 AVIOCAR.

He was placed at 401 Squadron (Reconnaissance and Maritime Surveillance), where he got his qualification as pilot in command. At this Squadron, he took the role of Head of Operational Planning, and worked as a Liaison Officer with the outer scientific community during the missions carried out by the Squadron.

After completing Staff College in 1996 he was promoted to the rank of Major.

At the Air Force Academy, he took on the position of Professor, lecturing subjects in the Aerospace Sciences department, while also performing as an Instructor Pilot at the Flight Squadron.

In 2000, he was appointed as Commander of the 401 Squadron. Later, as a Lieutenant Colonel (2002), he became the Operational Wing Commander of the Air Base 1, in Sintra.

In 2004, he was appointed as Cadets Corps Commander of the Air Force Academy, and simultaneously lectured the subject of Leadership and Command at Air Force Higher Studies Institute.

In 2006, while under the National Defense Policy General Directorate scope, he was appointed as Head of the project for the creation of the course of Aviator Pilot in the Military Academy of Nampula, in Mozambique.

From 2007 to 2010, as Coronel, he performed the duties of Portuguese Defence Attaché in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg. He then returned to Portugal in October 2010, having been placed at the Portuguese Air Force Headquarters, where he performed the duties of Head of Resources Division.

In October 2011, he was assigned to Command Air Base 5, in Monte Real, until October of 2013.
In the lecturing year of 2013/2014, he attended the General Promotion Course in the Higher Military Studies Institute. After the course, he took on the functions of Staff Deputy Commander at the Personnel Major Command.

In 2015, after attending the Senior Course 126 at NATO's Defense College in Rome, he performed the duties of Faculty Advisor in the bilingual committee.  Returned to Portugal in October 2016, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, as he started his role as Head of Air Command Operations.

In November 2017, having been promoted to Major-General, became the superintendent of the Portuguese Air Force Academy.

Promoted to Lieutenant-general in March 25, 2022, he served as Air Force Logistics Commander.

He is assigned to the position of Portuguese Military Representative (MILREP) to NATO and the EU Military Committees in Brussels and takes the post on August 5^th 2022.

Throughout his career, he flew over 3500 flight hours in several different aircrafts.

His service record includes several commendations, mentions of appreciation and decorations.

Lieutenant-General Paulo Mateus is married to Paula and they have two daughters.