Puustinen, Aki Juhani

Brigadier General

Position

Chief of Staff Finnish Air Force

Date and place of birth

24 May 1972, Nilsiä

Family

Married

Four children

Education

•    Matriculation examination, Nilsiä Upper Secondary School 1992
•    National Defence University, Officer`s Degree 1997
•    Flight instructor, Air Force Academy 1998
•    Flight commander course, Air Force Academy 2000
•    Staff Officer Course, National Defence University 2008
•    General Staff Officer Course, National Defence University 2011
•    Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, U.S. National Defence University, Washington D.C. USA 2017
•    Senior Command Course 2018
•    High Command Intelligence Course 2018
•    High Command Course 2019
•    National Defence Course 2020

Assignments

  • Matriculation examination, Nilsiä Upper Secondary School 1992
  • Conscript, Pilot Reserve Officer Course, Finnish Air Force Academy 1992 - 1993
  • Cadet, Military Academy, Air Force cadet course 1993 - 1997
  • National Defence University, Officer`s Degree 1997
  • Flight instructor, Air Force Academy 1998
  • Flight commander course, Air Force Academy 2000
  • Officer Pilot, F/A-18 Hornet, Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Wing 1997 - 2003
  • Chief of Tactics and Weapons Office, Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Wing 2003 - 2005
  • Deputy Flight Commander, F/A-18 Hornet, Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Wing 2005
  • Flight Commander, F/A-18 Hornet, Fighter Squadron 31, Karelia Air Wing 2005 - 2007
  • Staff Officer Course, National Defence University 2008
  • Senior Staff Officer, Flight Operations, Air Force Command Finland 2008 - 2010
  • General Staff Officer Course, National Defence University 2011
  • Assistant Chief of Staff Operations, Karelia Air Wing 2011 - 2013
  • Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, A5 Plans Division, Air Force Command Finland 2013 - 2014
  • Squadron Commander, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 41, Air Force Academy 2015 - 2016
  • International Fellow, National War College, US National Defence University 2016 - 2017
  • Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, U.S. National Defence University, Washington D.C. USA 2017
  • The Air Chief’s Representative at the Defence Command Finland 2017 - 2018
  • Senior Command Course 2018
  • High Command Intelligence Course 2018
  • High Command Course 2019
  • The Chief of Air Force Plans and Policy, A5 Plans Division, Air Force Command Finland 2018 – 2020
  • National Defence Course 2020
  • The Commander, Karelia Air Wing 2021 - 2023
  • Deputy Chief of Plans and Policy Division, Defence Command Finland 2023 - 2024
  • Chief of Staff Finnish Air Force, Air Force Command Finland 2024 - 

Promotions

  • Second Lieutenant 1993 
  • Lieutenant 1995
  • First Lieutenant 1997
  • Captain 2002
  • Major 2009
  • Lieutenant Colonel 2012
  • Colonel 2018
  • Brigadier General 2024

Decorations

  • Medal for Military Merits
  • Officer Association Medal of Merit (s)
  • Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • Officer Association Medal of Merit (g)
  • Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland
  • Cross of Merit of the Air Force

Languages

Finnish, Swedish, English