The Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia are the military forces organized for the defense of the Republic of Croatia and its allies by military means and for other forms of use and use in accordance with the domestic and international law. The Croatian Armed Forces protect the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia and defend its territorial integrity.
The Slovenian Armed Forces or Slovenian Army are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army. The Commander-in-Chief of the SAF is the President of the Republic of Slovenia, while operational command is in the domain of the Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces.
The Albanian Armed Forces are the military of Albania and were formed after the declaration of independence in 1912. Today, it consists of the General Staff, the Albanian Land Force, Albanian Air Force and the Albanian Naval Force.
A commander-in-chief or supreme commander is the person who exercises supreme command and control over an armed force or a military branch. As a technical term, it refers to military competencies that reside in a country's executive leadership, a head of state, head of government, or other designated government official.
The Chief of Defence, formerly the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces is the highest ranked professional military officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, and is by NATO terminology the Swedish chief of defence equivalent. The Chief of Defence is the agency head of the Swedish Armed Forces and formally reports to the Government of Sweden, though normally through the Minister for Defence. The primary responsibilities and duties of the Chief of Defence are prescribed in an ordinance issued by the Government.
The Military Committee of the European Union (EUMC) is the body of the European Union's (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy that is composed of member states' Chiefs of Defence (CHOD). These national CHODs are regularly represented in the EUMC in Brussels by their permanent Military Representatives (MilRep), who often are two- or three-star flag officers.
Major General Karl Lorentz Engelbrekt Engelbrektson is a retired Swedish Army officer. He completed the Advanced Course at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College in 1988 and later joined the Värmland Regiment, where he rose to the rank of major. He furthered his education at the Swedish National Defence College and worked on arms control issues at the Ministry of Defence.
Giampaolo Di Paola is an Italian naval officer who served in the government of Italy as minister of defense from November 2011 to April 2013. He was the Italian military's Chief of Staff from 10 March 2004 to 8 February 2008 and served as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2008 to 2011.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)'s Military Committee (MC) is the body that is composed of member states' Chiefs of Defence (CHOD). These national CHODs are regularly represented in the MC by their permanent Military Representatives (MilRep), who often are officers of the rank of general and admiral. Like the Council, from time to time the Military Committee also meets at a higher level, namely at the level of Chiefs of Defence, the most senior military officer in each nation's armed forces.
Devi Chankotadze is a Georgian military leader and politician who served as Georgia's Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces in 2008–2012, and has served as a member of the Parliament since 2020. He carries the rank of Lieutenant General.
Xhemal Gjunkshi is a former Albanian military officer. Since 2017 he started his career as politician and began Member of Parliament (MP) for Dibër. From August 2011 to November 2013, he served as Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces. He was elected as deputy of Democratic Party in June 2017 general election.
The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces, reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) as well as the Deputy Minister of National Defence. The Directorate General Executive Coordination, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the National Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group and several other departments report to the VCDS, who is appointed by the CDS.
Alenka Ermenc, born 5 September 1963, is an officer in the Slovenian army and was the first woman to hold the position of Chief of defence within NATO forces.
Lieutenant General Tage Dennis Gyllensporre, né Öztürkmen is a retired senior Swedish Army officer. Gyllensporre has served as Chief of Policy and Plans Department (2012–2014), Chief of Defence Staff (2014–2018), head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters (2014–2018), head of the Swedish Armed Forces Special Forces (2014–2018) and as the Commandant General in Stockholm (2014–2018). From August 2018 to 2021, Gyllensporre served as Force Commander of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
The chairman of the European Union Military Committee (CEUMC) is the four-star rank officer representing and presiding over the European Union's (EU) Military Committee (EUMC), composed of the chiefs of defence (CHODs) of the EU member states. The chairman is selected by the chiefs of defence of the member states and appointed by the members of the Council of the European Union for a three-year term.
Vice Admiral Jonas Björnson Haggren is a senior officer in the Swedish Navy. From 1 July 2023, he serves as Swedish Military Representative to the EU and NATO in Brussels. Prior to that, Haggren served as the Chief of Defence Staff and head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm from 2018 to 2022 and as Chief of Policy and Plans Department from 2014 to 2018.
This article outlines the present structure of the European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), a part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) based on articles 42–46 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). Article 42.2 of TEU states that the CSDP includes the 'progressive framing' of a common Union defence policy, and will lead to a common defence, when the European Council of national heads of state or government, acting unanimously, so decides.
General Leif Michael Claesson is a Swedish Army officer. He currently serves as the Chief of Defence since 1 October 2024. Claesson began his military career in 1984 as a tank commander. He advanced through various positions, including instructor and company commander, while completing education at military institutions in Sweden and Germany. By 2001, he became a lieutenant colonel, serving in both national and international roles, including as a military adviser and representative to NATO and the EU. Promoted to brigadier general in 2013, Claesson held key leadership roles, such as commanding the Swedish ISAF contingent in Afghanistan and overseeing Nordic Battlegroup training. In 2018, he became a major general and Chief of Policy and Plans Department, later serving as Chief of Joint Operations and Commandant General in Stockholm in 2020. Promoted to lieutenant general, he became Chief of the Defence Staff in 2023. Finally, in 2024, he was appointed general and Chief of Defence, assuming the role on 1 October 2024.
Major General Alan Geder is a military leader of Slovenia who served as a commander during the Slovenian War for Independence and acted as Chief of the General Staff in 2018.
