General Mario Daubenfeld

Mario Daubenfeld was born on January 16th, 1958 in Wasserbillig, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

He is married and has one daughter.

After high school graduation in Echternach, he volunteered as an army officer in the Luxembourg Army. He entered the Royal Military Academy (“Ecole Royale Militaire”) in Brussels, Belgium in September 1978 as a student in the 118th All Weapons Class. After graduation in social and military sciences in 1982, he was assigned to the Military Training Centre in Diekirch.

He finished his basic military studies in the French Infantry School (“Ecole de l’Application de l’Infanterie”) in Montpellier, France from 1983 to 1984.

From 1982 to 1997, he went through the following assignments at the Military Training Centre : infantry platoon leader, company commander, personnel officer and logistics officer.

From 1988 to 1989, he also assumed command of the Luxembourg contingent assigned to the multinational brigade of the NATO Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (AMF(L)).

From 1st of April to October 1992, he commanded the first Luxembourg UNPROFOR contingent in former Yugoslavia.

During the Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union in 1997, he assumed the function of Deputy Head of Command, Control and Communications Division in the headquarters of the “European Community Monitoring Mission” (ECMM) in Sarajevo in Bosnia Herzegovina.

On 1st of April 1998, he took over the functions of National Military Representative to SHAPE, Deputy Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee and Defense Counselor to the Permanent Representative at NATO.

On 26th of January 2002, he was appointed Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee. Between January 2002 and 2004 he also held the functions of Military Delegate to the Permanent Council to the Western European Union (WEU) and Military Representative to the European Union Military Committee.

On 30 November 2012, he was designated by the Council of Ministers to become chief of staff. He took up his duties on 1st of February 2013.

During his service, his training and education were completed by the following courses :

• 1983-1984 : Infantry unit leader course in France (Ecole d’Application de l’Infanterie, Montpellier)
• 1988 : Company commander course (Belgian Infantry School, Arlon)
• 1990 : Staff course at the French Staff College in Compiègne
• 1995-1996: General Staff course at the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA

National decorations :

• Croix d’Honneur et de Mérite en Bronze (1992)
• Ruban pour deux campagnes (1998)
• Chevalier avec couronne dans l’Ordre de Mérite civil et militaire d’Adolphe de Nassau (2003)
• Commandeur dans l’Ordre de Mérite (2004)
• Croix de 25 années de service (2004)
• Commandeur dans l’Ordre Grand-ducal de la Couronne de Chêne (2009)

International decorations :

• Carvalheiro da Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique (Portugal)
• Belgian Commemorative Medal for participation in the BELBAT 1 mission in former Yugoslavia
• UN medal for the participation in the UNPROFOR mission
• EU medal for service with the European Community Monitor Mission