General  Artur Neves Pina Monteiro

General Artur Neves Pina Monteiro was born in Vila Fernando, Guarda, in 1952.

He is currently the Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces, having assumed the current functions on February 7th 2014, by presidential appointment.

He graduated from the Military Academy, Infantry Course, in 1974.

During the early period of his career, from 1974 to 1985, he served in several Army military units such as the Infantry Training School and the Infantry Regiment in Ponta Delgada, Azores. He also held several duties at the office of the Army Chief of Staff from 1986 to 1988 and from 1998 to 1999. In the meantime, he was a lecturer of Tactics (1988) and Strategy (1991-1996) at the Joint Staff and War College. From 1994 to 1995 he served as Military Assistant to the Minister of National Defense for External Relations of Defense.

As a Lieutenant-Colonel, and from 1997 to 1998, he commanded the 2nd  Mechanized Infantry Battalion from the Independent Mechanized Brigade, which became the National Contingency Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina theater of operations. Upon promotion to Colonel he was assigned a position at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium, where he served as the Chief of Policy Section - Operations Division (1999-2002).

As a Major-General, and from 2003 to 2006, he became Chief of Cabinet to the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army. Later on, from 2006 to 2007, he was Chief of Cabinet to the Chief of Defense (CHOD).

As a Lieutenant-General, and from 2007 to 2009, he served as the Land Forces Operational Commander, and as Military Representative to NATO and EU Military Committees (2009-2011).

Most recently, as a General, and from December 19th 2011 to February 6th 2014, he was the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army.

General Pina Monteiro is a graduate from the Portuguese Joint Staff and War College and attended the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in the USA and Staff Course in Brazil.

He was awarded several commendations by the Minister of Defence, the Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces and the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army.

His decorations include, among others, the Degree of Chevalier and Officer of the Military Order of Avis, three gold Distinguished Service Medals, three silver Distinguished Service Medals, one of which with palm, the St. George Cross, the D. Afonso Henriques Medal, the Peacemaker Medal of the Federal Republic of Brazil the NATO Commemorative Medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the French Commemorative Medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina and with the Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur, grade officier, given by the President of the French Republic.

General Pina Monteiro is married to Maria da Conceição and they have two children.