NATO Military Committee

Last updated
NATO Military Committee
Location Brussels, Belgium
Website NATO.int
Commanders
Secretary General Mark Rutte
Chair Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
Deputy Chair Lieutenant General Andrew M. Rohling
Director General of the International Military Staff Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak
Insignia
Chair's arms Coat of arms of the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.svg
Deputy Chair's arms Coat of arms of the Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.svg
International Military Staff's arms Coat of arms of the International Military Staff.svg
International Military Staff's flag Flag of the International Military Staff.svg

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.

Contents

Role

Chairman in 2014, General Knud Bartels NATO's Chairman of the Military Committee General Knud Bartels makes opening statements 140521-D-HU462-160.jpg
Chairman in 2014, General Knud Bartels

The MC assists and advises the North Atlantic Council (NAC), Defence Planning Committee (DPC), and Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) on military matters including policy and strategy. [1] Its principal role is to provide direction and advice on military policy and strategy. It provides guidance on military matters to the Supreme Allied Commanders of Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Transformation, whose representatives attend its meetings, and is responsible for the overall conduct of the military affairs of the Alliance under the authority of the Council. The executive body of the MC is the International Military Staff (IMS). [2]

Current NATO Chiefs of Defence

MemberCHODMemberCHODMemberCHOD
Flag of Albania.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Albania

Member since
1 April 2009
ArbenKingji.jpg
Major General
Arben Kingji  [ de; nl ]
of the
Albanian Land Forces insignia.svg  Albanian Land Force
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg

Chief of Defence of
Belgium

Member since
24 August 1949
F16 Quick Reaction Force Benelux (cropped).jpg
General
Frederik Vansina
of the
Air Force Ensign of Belgium.svg  Belgian Air Component
Flag of Bulgaria.svg

Chief of Defence of
Bulgaria

Member since
29 March 2004
Admiral Emil Eftimov, Bulgaria Chief of the Defense, at the Pentagon on January 11, 2024 (cropped).jpg
Admiral
Emil Eftimov  [ bg; de; he ]
of the
Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgarian Navy
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg

Chief of the Defence Staff of
Canada

Member since
24 August 1949
General Jennie Carignan in 2024 (cropped).jpg
General
Jennie Carignan
of the
Flag of the Canadian Army.svg  Canadian Army
Flag of Croatia.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Croatia

Member since
1 April 2009
The NATO Chief of Defence of Croatia Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid at the 191st Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session.jpg
Colonel general
Tihomir Kundid
of the
Flag of Croatian Army.svg  Croatian Army
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg

Chief of the General Staff of the
Czech Republic

Member since
12 March 1999
Lieutenant General Karel Rehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, at the Pentagon on February 27, 2024 (cropped).jpg
Lieutenant General
Karel Řehka
of the
Znak Reditelstvi specialnich sil.png Czech Special Forces
Flag of Denmark.svg

Chief of Defence of
Denmark

Member since
24 August 1949
Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard DVIDS7231908 (cropped).jpg
Major General
Michael Hyldgaard  [ da ]
of the
Flag of Denmark (state).svg  Royal Danish Army
Flag of Estonia.svg

Commander of the Defence Forces of
Estonia

Member since
29 March 2004
Andrus Merilo 2024 (cropped).jpg
Major General
Andrus Merilo
of the
Flag of Estonian Land Forces.svg  Estonian Land Forces
Flag of Finland.svg

Chief of Defence of
Finland

Member since
4 April 2023
240529-A-EJ325-1010 Janne Jaakkola.jpg
General
Janne Jaakkola
of the
Suomen Maavoimien tunnus.svg Finnish Army
Flag of France.svg

Chief of the Defence Staff of
France

Member since
24 August 1949
[a]
General Thierry Burkhard, French Chief of the Defence Staff, at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, France participates in a Military Honors Ceremony on June 5, 2024 (cropped).jpg
General
Thierry Burkhard
of the
Logo of the French Army (Armee de Terre).svg French Army
Flag of Germany.svg

Inspector General of the Bundeswehr of
Germany

Member since
6 May 1955
[b]
Germany Chief of Defense Gen. Carsten Breuer Participates in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - 52791770623 (cropped).jpg
General
Carsten Breuer
of the
Colour of Germany.svg  German Army
Flag of Greece.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Greece

Member since
18 February 1952
Hellenic National Defence General Staff Seal.svg
General
Dimitrios Choupis  [ el ]
of the
Hellenic Army War Flag.svg  Hellenic Army
Flag of Hungary.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Hungary

Member since
12 March 1999
Gabor Borondi (cropped).jpg
Colonel General
Gábor Böröndi
of the
War Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungarian Ground Forces
Flag of Iceland.svg

Director of the Security and Defence Department of
Iceland

Member since
24 August 1949
Coat of arms of Iceland.svg

Jónas G. Allansson
Flag of Italy.svg

Chief of the Defence Staff of
Italy

Member since
24 August 1949
Generale CA Luciano Portolano mr.jpg
General
Luciano Portolano
of the
Flag of Italy.svg  Italian Army
Flag of Latvia.svg

Commander of the Armed Forces of
Latvia

Member since
29 March 2004
Leonids Kalnins (2).jpg
Lieutenant General
Leonīds Kalniņš
of the
Latvian National Guard emblem.svg Latvian National Guard
Flag of Lithuania.svg

Chief of Defence of
Lithuania

Member since
29 March 2004
Gen. Raimundas Vaiksnoras official portrait (2024).jpg
General
Raimundas Vaikšnoras
of the
Flag of the Lithuanian Army.svg  Lithuanian Land Force
Flag of Luxembourg.svg

Chief of Defence of
Luxembourg

Member since
24 August 1949
Journee de la commemoration nationale 2021 (131) Steve Thull (cropped).jpg
General
Steve Thull
of the
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg Army
Flag of Montenegro.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Montenegro

Member since
5 June 2017
Military of Montenegro.gif
Brigadier General
Zoran Lazarević  [ de ]
of the
VCG-KOV.png Montenegrin Ground Army
Flag of the Netherlands.svg

Chief of Defence of the
Netherlands

Member since
24 August 1949
Portretfoto Onno Eichelsheim (cropped).jpg
General
Onno Eichelsheim
of the
Flag of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.svg  Royal Netherlands Air Force
Flag of North Macedonia.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
North Macedonia

Member since
27 March 2020
General staff of North Macedonia.svg
Major General
Saško Lafčiski
of the
Polk za spetsijalni opratsii.svg North Macedonian Special Forces
Flag of Norway.svg

Chief of Defence of
Norway

Member since
24 August 1949
General Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of Defense of the Armed Forces of Norway, at the Pentagon on 8 April 2024 (cropped).jpg
General
Eirik Kristoffersen
of the
Flag of the Norwegian Army.svg  Norwegian Army
Flag of Poland.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Poland

Member since
12 March 1999
Lieutenant General Wieslaw Kukula (Wieslaw Kukula), Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces at the Pentagon, USA on November 2, 2023 (cropped).jpg
General
Wiesław Kukuła
of the
PL territorial defence force flag IIIRP.svg Polish Territorial Defence Forces
Flag of Portugal.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Portugal

Member since
24 August 1949
Military flag of Portugal.svg
General
José Nunes da Fonseca  [ he; pt ]
of the
Military flag of Portugal.svg  Portuguese Army
Flag of Romania.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Romania

Member since
29 March 2004
Gheorghita Vlad (Gheorghita Vlad) (2024) (cropped).jpg
General
Gheorghiță Vlad  [ he ]
of the
Flag of the Romanian Land Forces (Obverse).svg  Romanian Land Forces
Flag of Slovakia.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Slovakia

Member since
29 March 2004
Generalmajor Daniel Zmeko.jpg
Lieutenant General
Daniel Zmeko
of the
Slovak Army Roundel.svg Slovak Ground Forces
Flag of Slovenia.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Slovenia

Member since
29 March 2004
Robert Glavas in 2024 (cropped).jpg
Lieutenant General
Robert Glavaš
of the
Flag of the Slovenian Armed Forces.svg Slovenian Ground Force
Flag of Spain.svg

Chief of the Defence Staff of
Spain

Member since
30 May 1982
(Teodoro Esteban Lopez Calderon) 180616-N-MZ309-213 (cropped).jpg
Admiral General
Teodoro Esteban López Calderón
of the
Naval jack of Spain.svg Spanish Navy
Flag of Sweden.svg

Supreme Commander of
Sweden

Member since
7 March 2024
Lieutenant General Michael Claesson, Chief of the Defense Staff, Armed Forces of Sweden, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. on January 22, 2024 (cropped).jpg
General
Michael Claesson
of the
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg  Swedish Army
Flag of Turkey.svg

Chief of the General Staff of
Turkey

Member since
18 February 1952
Metin Gurak (cropped).jpg
General
Metin Gürak
of the
Flag of Turkish Land Forces Command.svg Turkish Land Forces
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg

Chief of the Defence Staff of the
United Kingdom

Member since
24 August 1949
191120-N-BD231-113 (49106133536) (Tony Radakin cropped 3-4).jpg
Admiral
Tony Radakin
of the
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Flag of the United States.svg

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the
United States

Member since
24 August 1949
Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr. (3).jpg
General
Charles Q. Brown Jr.
of the
Flag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
  1. Excluded from the Committee in 1966–2008.
  2. As West Germany. East Germany became part of NATO after German reunification on 3 October 1990

    History

    Until 2008 the Military Committee excluded France, due to that country's 1966 decision to remove itself from NATO's integrated military structure, which it rejoined in 1995. Until France rejoined NATO, it was not represented on the Defence Planning Committee, and this led to conflicts between it and NATO members. Such was the case in the lead up to Operation Iraqi Freedom. [3]

    Established in 1949 during the first Council session in Washington, the Military Committee is NATO's highest military authority and advises the NAC and NATO's strategic commanders, the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. [4]

    See also

    References

    1. NATO Handbook, 50th Anniversary Edition, 1998-99, 234.
    2. International Military Staff, Jun 15, 2017, retrieved Feb 20, 2018.
    3. Fuller, Thomas (18 February 2003). "Reaching accord, EU warns Saddam of his 'last chance'". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
    4. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_49633.htm, NATO Military Committee, Dec 7, 2017, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.