Vauhkonen, Juha Sakari

Rear Admiral

Position

Defence Command Chief of Intelligence

Date and place of birth

30 July 1962, Helsinki

Family

Married

Two daughters

Career

  • Matriculation examination, Deutsche Schule Helsinki
  • Conscript Service 1982-1983
  • Military Academy 1983-1986
  • Instructor, Suomenlinna Coastal Regiment 1986-1989
  • Mortar Officer Course 1988
  • Cadet Course Instructor, Coastal Artillery School 1989–1990
  • Captain's Course 1990-1991
  • Instructor, Military Academy 1991-1992
  • Senior Staff Officer, Intelligence Division, Defence Staff 1992-1993
  • General Staff Officer Course 1993-1995
  • Senior Staff Officer, Coastal Artillery Division, Defence Staff 1995-1997
  • Scholarship Student, Switzerland 1998
  • Senior Staff Officer, Operations Division Navy Command 1998-2002
  • Deputy Military Attaché, Berlin  
  • Military Attaché, Prague and Bratislava 2002–2005
  • Commanding Officer, Vaasa Coastal Jaeger Battalion, Nyland Brigade 2005–2007
  • Senior Command Course 2006
  • Commander, FINCON and Deputy Commander PRT Mazar e Sharif, ISAF, Afghanistan 2007–2008
  • Chief of Operations Division, Navy Command 2008-2010
  • Battle Group Deputy Commander EU Nordic Battle Group 2009–2011
  • Chief of Staff, Nyland Brigade 2010-2011
  • National Defence Course 2011
  • Brigade Commander, Nyland Brigade 2011-2012
  • Chief of Staff, Navy Command, January 2013–2016
  • High Command Course 22 2013
  • European Union Senior Mission Leader Course (EUSMLC) 2013
  • Special Assignment, Defence Command 2016
  • Finland's Military Representative to the EU and NATO, 1 September 2016–31 December 2020
  • Chief of Intelligence 1 January 2021 -
     

Promotions

  • Second Lieutenant 1983
  • Lieutenant 1986
  • First Lieutenant 1988
  • Captain 1991
  • Major 1995
  • Lieutenant Commander 1998
  • Commander 2003
  • Captain (N) 2010
  • Commodore 2013
  • Rear Admiral 2016

Decorations

  • National Defence Medal 1993
  • Coastal Defender Medal 1997
  • Medal for Military Merits 2000
  • Knight, First Class, Order of the Lion of Finland 2002
  • Coastal Jaeger Medal in gold 2006
  • NATO Non-article 5 medal 2007
  • The Infantry Cross for Merit, with Swords 2008
  • Cross of Liberty, Third Class 2008
  • Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland 2015
  • Commander First Class, Order of the Lion of Finland 2023

Languages

Finnish, Swedish, German, English

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