Stéphane Abrial
 Stéphane Abrial | |
|---|---|
 Général d'Armée Aérienne Stéphane Abrial, Commander Allied Command Transformation-NATO | |
| Born | 7 September 1954 Condom-en-Armagnac, Gers |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service/ | French Air Force |
| Years of service | 1972 – 2012 |
| Rank | Général d'Armée Aérienne |
| Commands | Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (2006–2009) Allied Command Transformation (2009–2012) |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War |
| Awards | Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour Officer of the Order of National Merit Médaille de l'Aéronautique Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Grand Officer of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia) Grand Officer of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil) |
Stéphane Abrial (French pronunciation: [abʁiɑl]), born on 7 September 1954 in the South-Western French region of Armagnac, is a French General who is the previous Commander of Allied Command Transformation based in Norfolk, VA, one of the two NATO strategic commands. His previous posting was as the Chief of Staff of the French Air Force.[1]
French Military career
General Stéphane Abrial graduated in 1973 from the French Air Force academy (the Ecole de l'Air), and in 1974 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed pilot training at the French Air Force Academy in 1976.
From 1977 to 1991, he served as a fighter pilot both in France (in Cambrai, Dijon and Orange) and, from 1981 to 1984, in a West German Luftwaffe unit. In 1988, he assisted the Greek Air Force in converting its first unit equipped with the Mirage 2000.
In 1991, he took part in the first Gulf War as a fighter pilot and commander of the French Air Force's 5th Fighter Squadron. Later that year, he attended the Air War College, at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
From 1992 to 1996, he served in the staffs of the French Air Force Chief of Staff and the Chief of Defense Staff. From 1996 to 1999, he served at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels. In 2000, he became deputy head of the French President's military staff, and in 2002 was appointed head of the French Prime Minister's military staff.
In 2005, General Abrial became head of the French Air Defense headquarters, in Taverny, and in 2006 Air Force Chief of Staff.[2]
NATO Supreme Allied Commander
Gen. Stéphane Abrial received appointment by the North Atlantic Council as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation on 29 July 2009, the first European to be appointed permanently as head of a NATO strategic command.
In April 2010, he received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council.[3]
Major military awards
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- Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur (France)
- Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite (France)
- Croix de guerre des TOE with one silver-gilt star (France)
- Croix du Combattant (France)
- Médaille de l'Aéronautique (France)
- Overseas Medal with two bars (France)
- Legion of Merit, Commander (USA)
- Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Silver (Germany)
- German Sports Badge (Military version in Bronze)
- Order of Abdulaziz al Saud, First Class (Saudi Arabia)
- Grand Officer of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil)[4]
- Santos-Dumont Medal of Merit, Brazilian Air Force
- Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, Commander's Cross[5]
- Cross of Naval Merit, White Grand Cross (Spain)[6]
- Order of the Crown, Grand Cross[7] (Belgium)
- Commemorative Medal of the Chief of General Staff of the Slovak Armed Forces[8]
- NATO Meritorious Service Medal
- Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
- Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Notes
- ^ French political news site Profession politique [1], Profession Politique
- ^ Official biography http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/base/annexes/biographie_du_general_abrial
- ^ ACT press release[dead link]
- ^ "Comandante da Aeronáutica participa de solenidade na Base Aérea de Orange" (in Portuguese). Força Aérea Brasileira. 17 September 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pictures/2012_09_120914a-cmc-ceremony/20120925_120914a-010_rdax_600x428.JPG
- ^ "Visita al Ministerio de Defensa del General del Aire D.Stéphane Abrial,Comandante Supremo del Mando Aliado de Transformacion(SACT) Imposición de la Gran Cruz del Mérito Naval con distintivo blanco" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Defensa de España. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "Grand-Croix de l'Ordre de la Couronne pour le Général français Stéphane Abrial" (in French). Pieter De Crem. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ^ "Generálporučík Vojtek v Rumunsku ocenil medailou generála Abriala" (in Slovak). OZBROJENÉ SILY SR. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- 1954 births
- Living people
- People from Gers
- French Air Force generals
- Grand Officiers of the Légion d'honneur
- Officiers of the Ordre national du Mérite
- Recipients of the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures
- Recipients of the Aeronautical Medal
- Commanders of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr
- Recipients of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud
- Recipients of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil)
- Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
- Grand Crosses of Naval Merit
- Grand Officers of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
- French military personnel of the Gulf War
- Chiefs of the Staff of the French Air Force