Heikkinen, Aki Juhani

Brigadier General

Position

Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, Defence Command 

Date and place of birth

25 November 1973, Oulu

Family

Married

one child

Career

  • Matriculation examination, Kiiminki High School 1992
  • National Defence University, Officer’s Degree, 1997 
  • Flight Instructor Course, Air Force Academy, 1998 
  • General Staff Officer Course, National Defence University 2009
  • Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, USA, 2018
  • High Command Course, Defence Command, 2021
  • National Defence Course 2022
  • Military service, Air Warfare School, Kauhava, 1992-1993
  • Pilot Reserve Officer Course 67, 1993
  • Cadet Course 80, 1993 - 1997
  • Officer Pilot, Fighter Squadron 21, Satakunta Air Command 1997 - 2004
  • Flight Commander, Fighter Squadron 21, Satakunta Air Command 2004 - 2008
  • Flight Safety Officer, Satakunta Air Command 2008 - 2009
  • Chief of Section, Air Force Command Finland 2010 - 2012
  • Head Instructor of Air Warfare, National Defence University 2012 - 2013
  • Squadron Commander, Fighter Squadron 11, Lapland Air Command                   2013 ─ 2015
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, Air Force Operations, Air Force Command Finland 2018 - 2019
  • Commander of Satakunta Air Command    2019 - 2021
  • Chief of the F-35 Liaison Office, United States, 2022 - 2024
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations, Defence Command  2024 -

Promotions

  • Lieutenant, 01 May 1995
  • First Lieutenant, 04 June 1997
  • Captain, 04 June 2002
  • Major, 04 June 2009
  • Lieutenant Colonel, 04 June 2012
  • Colonel, 04 June 2018
  • Brigadier General, 01 November 2024

Decorations

  • Medal for Military Merits, 30 May 2008
  • Highest Achiever, Air Warfare Programme, General Staff Officer Course 56, 2009
  • Knight, First Class, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, 04 June 2013
  • Teacher of the Year Prize, National Defence University, 2013
  • Adolf Ehrnrooth Foundation Award of Recognition, 13 February 2014
  • Gold Medal of Merit of the Reserve Officers Association, 06 December 2021
  • Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland, 04 June 2024

Languages

Finnish, English, Swedish