President of the Republic of Finland has promoted the head of the Finnish Ministry of Defence's Defence Policy Department, Major General Esa Pulkkinen to Lieutenant General by 1st of February 2016.
Pulkkinen has been chosen as Director General of the EU Military Staff (DGEUMS) by EU member state chiefs of defence at the EU Military Committee's meeting on 19 May 2015.The position is the second highest military appointment in the EU. A director general serves for three years. The current director general, Lieutenant General Wolfgang Wosolsoben, will be serving until May 2016.
Pulkkinen has been serving as the head of the Defence Policy Department since 2011. Pulkkinen served as director of the Operations Directorate in the EU Military Staff, Brussels, 2008 - 2010. His previous appointments include deputy assistant chief of staff in the Defence Command's Plans and Policy Division, chair of the Ministry of Defence's working group during Finland's EU presidency, commander of the Jaeger Brigade in Sodankylä, chief of the Plans Division, and national expert in the EU Military Staff.
He completed the General Staff Officer Degree in 1989 and was promoted to the rank of major general in 2014.
The EU Military Staff was established in 2001 following a Council decision. Its personnel is composed of experts from member states who then form the core of EU military expertise. The staff supports the EU Military Committee. Administratively, the staff is part of the EU's External Action Service.
