General Petr Pavel
Chair of the Military Committee
2015
General Pavel was appointed Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on 26 June 2015.
From July 2012 to May 2015 General Petr Pavel served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, the highest ranking officer in the Czech Army and the principal military adviser to the Czech Government. In September 2014, General Pavel was elected Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
General Pavel graduated from the Army College in Vyškov, Czech Republic in 1983 and since then has spent a large part of his military career holding positions in Special Forces, Operations and Intelligence divisions. Throughout his career, General Pavel has held a range of positions from Deputy Military and Air Attaché of the Czech Republic in Belgium to Commander Special Forces to Deputy Director Operations Division at the Ministry of Defence,
In addition, General Pavel has also held his share of positions in International and National joint staffs representing the Czech Armed Forces as the National Military Representative to the US Central Command, as well as National Military Representative of the Czech Republic to SHAPE in Mons, Belgium.
Furthering his education in the United Kingdom, General Pavel has studied at the Staff College, Camberley, the Royal College of Defence Studies, London and obtained an M.A. in International Relations from King's College, London.
General Pavel is married to Eva and has two sons. He enjoys travelling and motorcycling and has an interest in photography and literature.
Date of birth: 1st of November 1961 in Planá u Mariánských Lázní, Czech Republic
Languages: English, French, Russian
Service career:
| 1983-1985 | Special purpose airborne reconnaissance platoon leader |
| 1985-1991 | Commander, special purpose airborne reconnaissance company |
| 1991-1993 | Military intelligence officer |
| 1993-1994 | Deputy Military and Air Attaché of the Czech Republic in Belgium |
| 1994-1996 | Military intelligence officer |
| 1996-1997 | Aide-de-camp to the Director of Military Intelligence |
| 1997-1999 | Commander, Special Forces Brigade |
| 1999-2002 | Aide-de-camp to the Director of Operations, RC North, Brunssum, the Netherlands |
| 2002 | Deputy Commander, Mechanised Division |
| 1 Dec 2002 | Promoted Brigadier-General |
| 2002-2003 | Commander of Special Forces |
| Jan-Apr 2003 | National Military Representative in US CENTCOM, Tampa, U.S.A. and in US CENTCOM Forward, Qatar |
| 2003-2005 | Deputy Joint Force Commander |
| 2006-2007 | Deputy Director MoD Operations Division – Director of Operations Branch |
| 2007-2009 | Deputy Military Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU, Brussels, Belgium |
| 8 May 2010 | Promoted Major-General |
| 1 Jul 2011 | Deputy Chief of the General Staff – Chief of Staff |
| 8 May 2012 | Promoted Lieutenant-General |
| 1 Jul 2012 | Chief of the General Staff |
| 8 May 2014 | Promoted General |
| 20 Sep 2014 | Elected as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee |
Decorations and Awards:
- Czech Armed Forces medal, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class
- Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic 2nd & 3rd Class
- Service Abroad Medal of the Minister of Defence ”Kuvajt” 3rd Class
- Service Abroad Medal of the Minister of Defence ”Bojová mise” 3rd Class
- ”Service for Peace” badge
- French War Cross with Bronze Star
- French Order of the Legion of Honour
- State Award of the Czech Republic – Medal for Heroism