Education
Pavel graduated at the Military gymnasium (high school) in Opava. He continued his military study at the Military university of the Army in Vyškov and he graduated in 1983.
Pavel graduated at the Military gymnasium (high school) in Opava. He continued his military study at the Military university of the Army in Vyškov and he graduated in 1983.
He is the first person from a former Eastern Bloc state to hold the position. Prior to his current role he was Chief of the General Staff of the Czechoslovakian Army from 1 July 2012 to 1 May 2015. He started as Paratrooper in the Czechoslovak Army.
He was a platoon leader.
He continued his military studies at the Military Academy (currently united with University of Defence) in Brno (1988–1991). After his graduation he worked in the military intelligence service (1991–1993).
He served in the Czechoslovak troops of United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia. His unit was sent to evacuate a French military base in January 1993.
The French military base Karin was attacked from the Croatian side.
The French army was unable to evacuate this base due to the local infrastructure and bridge having been destroyed. The Czechoslovakian army was entrusted to conduct the evacuation because of their proximity to the base. Pavel was recognized and rewarded both in the Czechoslovakian Republic and in France.
Pavel served after the operation in Bosnia in different positions in the Czechoslovakian Army - in military intelligence, in diplomacy (deputy of military attaché in Belgium), as commander of special forces" brigade.
He was appointed Brigadier General in 2002. He served as the National Military Representative at United States CENTCOM. He represented the Czechoslovakian Army in different international and national organizations.
He obtained an international education at universities in the United Kingdom: Staff College, Camberley. The Royal College of Defence Studies.
And King"s College London (Master"s degree in International Relations).
He served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces of the Czechoslovakian Republic from July 2011 to June 2012. Since 1 June 2012 he has served as Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces of the Czechoslovakian Republic. He was nominated by the Czechoslovakian government for the position of Chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee in July 2014.
He was appointed for this function in Vilnius in September 2014.
He is the first Chairman to come from a country formerly part of the Warsaw Pact. His mandate commenced in summer 2015.
Dates of Rank.