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Karel Řehka

Chiefs of Defence

Czechia

01 June 2022 - Present

Czechia

01 June 2022 - Present

General Karel Řehka

Date of birth: 1 February 1975
Place of birth: Brno, Czech Republic

   Education:

      •    1989 - 1993
           
 Military Grammar School, Opava
      •    1993 - 1997
           
Military University of Ground Forces, Vyškov (reconnaissance branch)
      •    1996
          
 Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom (Officers course)
      •    1999
    
       Ranger Course, USA
      •    2000 - 2001
          
 Distance studies, Military University of Ground Forces, Vyškov (reconnaissance branch)
      •    2002
           
Joint Terminal Attack Controller course, United Kingdom
      •    2003
          
 Senior officers course – brigade staff course (national defence management – crisis management), Military Academy, Brno
      •    2015 - 2016
          
 General Staff course, University of Defence Brno

Service career:

  • 1997 - 1998
    Commander, special reconnaissance group, 6th Special Brigade
  • 1998 - 2000
    Commander, special group, special forces company, 6th Special Brigade
  • 2000 - 2001
    Senior foreign liaison officer
  • 2001 - 2003
    Chief, JTAC group, 32nd Tactical Air Force Base
  • 2003
    Senior officer, special purpose centre, 6th Special Forces Group
  • 2003 - 2005
    Commander, special purpose centre, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2005 - 2006
    Chief S5, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2006 - 2009
    Specialist officer 2 G3 SF, HQ ARRC, Rheindahlen, Germany
  • 2009 - 2010
    Senior officer – specialist, Special Forces Directorate
  • 2010 - 2014
    Commander, 601st Special Forces Group
  • 2014 - 2017
    Director, MoD Special Forces Directorate
  • 28 Oct 2016
    Promoted Brigadier General
  • 2017 - 2020
    Deputy Commander, Multinational Division North East, Elblag, Poland
  • 2020 - 2022 
    Director of National Cyber and Information Security Agency
  • June 22, 2022 
    Promoted Major General
  • July 1, 2022 
    Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces
  • 8 May, 2023
    Promoted Lieutenant General
  • 8 May, 2025
    Promoted General

Deployments:

  • 1999 - 2000
    Group commander, 6th Reconnaissance Company, KFOR, Kosovo
  • 2004
    Deputy Commander of Czech Special Forces Contingent, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan
  • 2006 - 2007
    Senior lead officer – specialist, ISAF, SOCCE, Afghanistan
  • 2007 - 2008
    Senior lead officer – specialist, ISAF, SOCCE, Afghanistan
  • 2011
    Commander, Czech Special Operations Task Force ISAF, Afghanistan

Decorations:

  • Czech Armed Forces Honorary Badge of Merit, grade III
  • Czech Armed Forces Service Medal, grade I
  • Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, grade II
  • US Army Commendation Medal
  • NATO Non Article 5 Medal, ISAF
  • Military Intelligence commemoration badge
  • NATO 1999 – 2009 commemoration badge
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For service abroad" - Afghanistan, grade I
  • Czech Armed Forces medal, grade II
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For service abroad" – Afghanistan, grade II
  • Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic "For service abroad" – Afghanistan, grade III
  • Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, grade III
  • Czech Armed Forces Medal, grade III
  • Honorary commemorative badge "For service in peace operation in the Balkans"
  • NATO Medal "In Service of Peace and Freedom"
  • Cross of the Military Police

Language skills:

  • English, Russian

Marital status:

  • Married, two children