The Chief of General Staff (Romanian: Șeful Statului Major General) is the highest professional military authority in the Romanian Armed Forces. He is appointed by the President of Romania, at the National Defense Minister's proposal (with the approval of the Prime Minister) on a four-year period, with the possibility of one-year extension. The Deputy Chief of General Staff or one of the Chiefs of the Services can be appointed in this position.
Chief of Defence Staff | |
---|---|
Șeful Statului Major General | |
Coat of arms of the Romanian General Staff | |
Identification flag of the Romanian General Staff (obverse and reverse) | |
since 30 November 2023 | |
Romanian Armed Forces | |
Appointer | President of Romania |
Term length | 4 years, can be extended up to 5 years |
Constituting instrument | Law no. 346 from 21 July 2006 (art. 12)[1] |
Formation | 12 November 1859 |
First holder | Grigore Gărdescu |
Website | Official website |
Role of the General Staff
editAccording to Law no. 346 from 21 July 2006 (art. 12), the General Staff provides for:
- Force command;
- Organization;
- Planning and making operational;
- Gradual increase of readiness levels;
- Mobilization;
- Conduct of joint operations;
- Troops' training;
- Basic and specialty training of the active-duty and reserve military personnel;
- Military personnel individual career management;
- Armaments planning;
- Standardization in the military field;
- Implementation of the C4ISR, logistic and infrastructure system;
- Conduct of the international military relations;
- Religious assistance in the MoND;
- Signing technical agreements with other states armed forces;
- Promotion of the military culture and civil education values.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee is established at the level of the General Staff. The committee is a deliberative structure, having a consultative role. The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee meets to discuss important topics with regard to the Romanian Armed Forces’ activity, usually quarterly or whenever necessary.
The Chief of General Staff is also the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The Gallery of the Chiefs of General Staff consists of 48 Flag and Commissioned Officers in the 1859–2006 timeframe.
List of the Chiefs
editUnited Principalities (1860–1881)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Grigore Gărdescu | Colonel8 January 1860 | 29 January 1860 | 21 days | |
2 | Istratie Sămășescu | Major29 January 1860 | 30 May 1860 | 122 days | |
3 | Ion Emanuel Florescu (1819–1893) | General30 May 1860 | 30 August 1860 | 92 days | |
(3) | Ion Emanuel Florescu (1819–1893) | General21 April 1864 | 1 May 1866 | 2 years, 10 days | |
4 | Gheorghe Slăniceanu (1835–1885) | Colonel27 April 1877 | 18 August 1877 | 113 days | |
5 | Constantin Barozzi (1833–1921) | Colonel18 August 1877 | 20 October 1877 | 63 days | |
6 | Ștefan Fălcoianu (1835–1905) | General20 October 1877 | 1878 | 0–1 years | |
(4) | Gheorghe Slăniceanu (1835–1885) | Colonel1878 | 22 February 1879 | 0–1 years |
Kingdom of Romania (1881–1947)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Alexandru Cernat (1828–1893) | General1881 | 1882 | 0–1 years | |
(4) | Gheorghe Slăniceanu (1835–1885) | Colonel1882 | 15 April 1883 | 0–1 years | |
(6) | Ștefan Fălcoianu (1835–1905) | General15 April 1883 | 23 May 1884 | 1 year, 38 days | |
8 | Nicolae Dona (1833–1916) | Colonel23 May 1884 | 13 January 1886 | 1 year, 235 days | |
(6) | Ștefan Fălcoianu (1835–1905) | General13 January 1886 | 18 June 1894 | 8 years, 156 days | |
9 | Iacob Lahovary (1846–1907) | General1 October 1894 | 1 October 1895 | 1 year | |
(5) | Constantin Barozzi (1833–1921) | Colonel1 October 1895 | 1 October 1898 | 3 years | |
10 | Constantin Poenaru (1842–1912) | General1 October 1898 | 1 April 1901 | 2 years, 182 days | |
11 | Alexandru Cărcăleteanu (1843–1936) | General de brigadă1 April 1901 | 1 April 1904 | 3 years | |
12 | Nicolae Tătărăscu (1850–1916) | General de brigadă1 April 1904 | 1 April 1907 | 3 years | |
13 | Grigore C. Crăiniceanu (1852–1935) | General1 April 1907 | 1 November 1909 | 2 years, 214 days | |
14 | Ioan Istrati (1860–1942) | General Adjutant1 November 1909 | 31 March 1911 | 1 year, 150 days | |
15 | Vasile Zottu (1853–1916) | General de Divizie31 March 1911 | 18 November 1911 | 232 days | |
16 | Alexandru Averescu (1859–1938) | General18 November 1911 | 2 December 1913 | 2 years, 14 days | |
17 | Constantin Cristescu (1866–1923) | General2 December 1913 | 1 April 1914 | 120 days | |
(15) | Vasile Zottu (1853–1916) | General de Divizie1 April 1914 | 25 October 1916 | 2 years, 207 days | |
– | Dumitru Iliescu (1865–1940) Acting | General de brigadă25 October 1916 | 5 December 1916 | 41 days | |
18 | Constantin Prezan (1861–1943) | General de Divizie Adjutant5 December 1916 | 1 April 1918 | 117 days | |
(17) | Constantin Cristescu (1866–1923) | General1 April 1918 | 28 October 1918 | 210 days | |
(18) | Constantin Prezan (1861–1943) | General de Divizie Adjutant28 October 1918 | 20 March 1920 | 1 year, 144 days | |
(17) | Constantin Cristescu (1866–1923) | General1 April 1920 | 8 May 1923 | 3 years, 37 days | |
– | Alexandru Gorsky (1875–?) Acting | General de brigadă8 May 1923 | 1 October 1923 | 146 days | |
19 | Alexandru Lupescu (1865–1934) | General de Divizie1 October 1923 | 21 June 1927 | 3 years, 263 days | |
20 | Nicolae Samsonovici (1877–1950) | General de Divizie21 June 1927 | 11 August 1932 | 5 years, 51 days | |
21 | Constantin Lăzărescu | General de Divizie11 August 1932 | 30 November 1933 | 1 year, 111 days | |
22 | Ion Antonescu (1882–1946) | General1 December 1933 | 11 December 1934 | 1 year, 10 days | |
(20) | Nicolae Samsonovici (1877–1950) | General de Divizie11 December 1934 | 1 February 1937 | 2 years, 52 days | |
– | Ion Sichitiu (1878–1952) Acting | General de Divizie1 February 1937 | 1 November 1937 | 273 days | |
23 | Ștefan Ionescu (1881–?) | General de Divizie1 November 1937 | 1 February 1939 | 1 year, 92 days | |
24 | Florea Țenescu (1884–1941) | General de Divizie Adjutant1 February 1939 | 23 August 1940 | 1 year, 204 days | |
25 | Gheorghe Mihail (1887–1982) | General de Divizie Adjutant23 August 1940 | 6 September 1940 | 14 days | |
26 | Alexandru Ioanițiu (1890–1941) | General de Brigadă6 September 1940 | 17 September 1941 | 359 days | |
27 | Iosif Iacobici (1884–1952) | General de Corp de Armată Adjutant22 September 1941 | 20 January 1942 | 153 days | |
28 | Ilie Șteflea (1888–1946) | General de Corp de Armată20 January 1942 | 23 August 1944 | 2 years, 216 days | |
(26) | Gheorghe Mihail (1887–1982) | General de Divizie Adjutant23 August 1944 | 12 October 1944 | 50 days | |
29 | Nicolae Rădescu (1874–1953) | General de Corp de Armată Adjutant15 October 1944 | 6 December 1944 | 52 days | |
30 | Constantin Sănătescu (1885–1947) | General de Corp de Armată11 December 1944 | 20 June 1945 | 221 days | |
31 | Costin Ionașcu (1890–1969) | General de Corp de Armată20 June 1945 | 27 December 1947 | 2 years, 190 days |
Communist Romania (1947–1989)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | Constantin Gh. Popescu (1893–1985) | Colonel General30 January 1948 | 18 March 1950 | 2 years, 47 days | |
34 | Leontin Sălăjan (1913–1966) | Army General18 March 1950 | 26 April 1954 | 4 years, 39 days | |
35 | Ion Tutoveanu (1914–2014) | General26 April 1954 | 15 June 1965 | 11 years, 50 days | |
36 | Gheorghe Ion (1923–2009) | General15 June 1965 | 29 November 1974 | 9 years, 167 days | |
37 | Ion Coman (born 1926) | Lieutenant General29 November 1974 | 16 June 1976 | 1 year, 200 days | |
38 | Ion Hortopan (1925–2000) | Lieutenant General1 July 1976 | 31 March 1980 | 3 years, 274 days | |
39 | Vasile Milea (1927–1989) | Colonel General31 March 1980 | 16 February 1985 | 4 years, 322 days | |
40 | Ștefan Gușă (1940–1994) | Colonel General25 September 1986 | 28 December 1989 | 3 years, 97 days |
Romania (1989–present)
editNo. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41 | Vasile Ionel (1927–2015) | General29 December 1989 | 2 May 1991 | 1 year, 124 days | Army | |
42 | Dumitru Cioflină (born 1942) | General3 May 1991 | 22 January 1997 | 5 years, 264 days | Army | |
43 | Constantin Degeratu (born 1948) | General22 January 1997 | 7 March 2000 | 3 years, 45 days | Army | |
44 | Mircea Chelaru (born 1949) | Lieutenant General7 March 2000 | 31 October 2000 | 238 days | Army | |
45 | Mihail Eugen Popescu (1948–2013) | General31 October 2000 | 25 October 2004 | 3 years, 360 days | Army | |
46 | Eugen Bădălan (born 1951) | General25 October 2004 | 13 September 2006 | 1 year, 323 days | Army | |
47 | Gheorghe Marin (born 1952) | Admiral13 September 2006 | 31 December 2010 | 4 years, 109 days | Navy | |
48 | Ștefan Dănilă (born 1965) | General1 January 2011 | 31 December 2014 | 3 years, 364 days | Air Force | |
49 | Nicolae Ciucă (born 1967) | General1 January 2015 | 28 October 2019 | 4 years, 300 days | Army | |
50 | Daniel Petrescu (born 1971) | General28 November 2019 | 30 November 2023 | 4 years, 2 days | Army | |
51 | Gheorghiță Vlad (born 1969) | General30 November 2023 | Incumbent | 274 days | Army |
See also
editReferences
editThis article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2016) |
- ^ Ministry of National Defence. "About The Defence Staff". mapn.ro. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- Romanian Ministry of Defence website, ""Şefii Statului Major General"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2006. (119 KiB)
- General Staff website