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The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces is General Timo Kivinen. On his background you can see the Commander's Flag.

Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces

The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces is General Timo Kivinen.

The commander of the Finnish Defence Forces is the chief of defence. The commander decides on the implementation of the Defence Forces' tasks and on the use of their capabilities. He steers the Defence Forces' activities in order for the Defence Forces' to achieve their objectives.

The commander of the FDF takes the strategic decisions on national military defence and commands the activities of the services and the National Defence University. The following generals are directly subordinate to the chief of defence:

  • the Army, Navy and Air Force commanders
  • the chief of the Defence Command
  • the rector of the National Defence University.

The commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force are directly subordinate to the Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, as well as the chief of Defence Command and the rector of the National Defence University.

In terms of the military chain of command, the commander of the Defence Forces is directly subordinate to the president of the republic. The commander of the FDF answers either to the president of the republic or the Council of State on the execution of FDF-related decisions.

The Defence Command functions as the supreme headquarters of the chief of defence and as the central administrative authority for the defence establishment. The Defence Command prepares all issues ordered by the commander and all matters pertaining to the entire Defence Forces.

The chief of defence is an expert adviser to the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy in matters concerning the defence of the nation.

General Timo Kivinen (b. 1959)

  • Military Academy 1979–1982
  • Instructor, Uusimaa Battalion 1982–1985
  • US Army Airborne and Ranger Courses, USA 1983
  • Instructor, Army Academy, Lappeenranta 1985–1986
  • Infantry Captain Course 1986–1987
  • Company Commander, Uusimaa Jaeger Battalion 1987–1988
  • Staff Officer, Helsinki Military District Headquarters 1988–1991
  • War College 1991–1993
  • Assistant Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff, Uusimaa Jaeger Battalion 1993–1994
  • Senior Staff Officer, Defence Command Finland 1994–1997
  • United Nation Staff Officer Course, Sweden 1996
  • Deputy Commanding Officer, Finnish Jaeger Battalion in SFOR 1997–1998
  • Finnish Defence Attaché in Austria, Hungary (resident) and Ukraine 1998–2001
  • Commander, Utti Jaeger Regiment 2001–2004
  • International Visitors Programme, USA 2003
  • Head of Department and Vice President, National Defence University 2004–2007
  • National Defence Course 2006
  • High Command Course 2007
  • Royal College of Defence Studies, UK 2008
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy Division, Defence Command Finland 2009–2010
  • Brigade Commander, Karelia Brigade 2011–2014
  • Generals, Flag Officers and Ambassadors Course, NATO Defence College 2012
  • Special Assignment, Defence Command Finland 2014
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy 2015–2017
  • Chief of Defence Command Finland 2017–2019
  • Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces 1.8.2019–
  • Married, four children
 

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