Lieutenant-General  José Quesada Pastor

Lt General José Quesada Pastor was born in Lisbon on 2nd of December 1951. He was promoted to his present rank on 13th of January 2010 and was appointed as Joint Operational Commander in the Armed Forces General Staff on the 1st of February 2010.

He joined Military Academy in 1970 where he attended the Communications Course and was therefore graduated as a Military Electrical Engineer.

His military education includes, amongst other courses: General Staff; Superior Command and Management at the Superior Military Studies Institute; Command and General Staff Course of the Brazilian Army. He also attended the Joint General Staff course at the Institute of the National Defence.

Since his commissioning, he was posted to the Communications Regiment, the Military Academy as instructor, the Regional Headquarters in Madeira and Lisbon as communications officer, the Superior Military Studies Institute as teacher, the Communications Regiment as 2nd Commander, the Communications School as Commander, the Army General Inspection as Deputy-Inspector and Director of the Army Intelligence and Communications Systems Direction.

From 1994 to 1995, he was assigned as military assistant to the Prime Minister’s Office, retaining at the same time teaching functions at the Superior Military Studies Institute.

From 1999 to 2002 he acted as military adviser to the Portuguese Delegation to NATO, in Brussels, being at the same time the National Armament Director Representative.

He holds several national and foreign public high level recognitions, military commendations and decorations.

Two Distinguished Service Silver medals.
One Meritorious Service Medal.
Two Meritorious of the Army Service Medal (Silver and gold).
Exemplary Service Medal
The order of the “Pacificador” from Brasil.

He has two sons, José Miguel and João Francisco.
He is married to Maria Manuela Nunes da Silva Triana.