Esa Pulkkinen
Esa Ilmari Pulkkinen (born 6 July 1957)[1] is a Finnish Lieutenant General. Mr. Pulkkinen has served as Director General of the Defence Policy Department in the Ministry of Defence from 2010 to 2016 and again in the same position from 2020 to 2021. In 2016 - 2020 he served as the Director General of the European Union's (EU) Military Staff (EUMS). Since 1.1.2022 he has been serving as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence of Finland[2][3]
Esa Pulkkinen | |
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![]() Pulkkinen in 2022 | |
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Finland | |
Assumed office January 2022 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Kalvola, Finland | 6 July 1957
Nationality | Finnish |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Finland |
Branch/service | Ministry of Defence 2011 - Finnish Defence Forces 1980 - 2010 |
Years of service | 1980– |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
Commands | European Union Military Staff Jaeger Brigade (Jääkäriprikaati) |
Early life
Esa Pulkkinen was born in Kalvola in southern Finland in 1957. He graduated from the National Defence University in 1980 and completed his master's degree in 1985. He graduated from the Department of Public Safety at the Military Academy in 1987–1989 and studied as a postgraduate student in security at the University of Geneva in 1995–1996. After returning to Finland, he completed a course for senior officers in 1997 and a senior military training course in 2005. He studied at Harvard University in the United States in 2014.[4]
Military career
Pulkkinen served as a platoon leader, head of the Armoured Officer Course and company commander in the Armoured Brigade at Parolanummi from 1980 to 1987. After that, he served as Commander of the Army of the East Uusimaa Military District in Tuusula until 1990. Between 1990 and 1993, he served as the Chief of Staff of the Infantry Department of the General Staff and from 1993 to 1995 as Chief of Staff at the Operational Section. From 1996 to 1997 he worked as a tactic at the Military Science School. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Senior Officer at the Ministry of Defense's Defense Policy Department. Between 1999 and 2000 he served as Director of the Armoured Forces in Parola before receiving a post as a national expert in Brussels to the EU's Temporary Military Staff for the period from 10 April to 30 November 2000. Thereafter, he served as Head of the Planning Department of the EU Military Staff Management Department until the end of July 2003.[7]
After returning to Finland, he took his command to Jaeger Brigade (Jääkäriprikaati) in Sodankylä until the end of January 2006. When Finland received the EU Presidency, in turn, Pulkkinen was invited to the Defence Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence to chair the working party of the Presidency. From the beginning of 2007 until the end of August 2008, Pulkkinen served as deputy director of the Defence Command Planning Department, after which he was again assigned to the EU Military Staff in Brussels as Director of Operations. On January 1, 2011, he returned to Finland as Director General of the Defence Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence, where he served as a five-year term between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2015.[8] Pulkkinen was again appointed as Director General of the Defense Policy Department for another five-year period from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020.[9]
In May 2016 Pulkkinen became the Head of the EU Military Staff.[5] The election of the Military Staff Commander was carried out by the Armed Forces Commanders of the EU Member States.[10] On 8 June 2017, the Council decided to set up a Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) within the Military Staff.[7] According to the Council Decision, the Head of the EU Military Staff also serves as the MPCC leader, so Pulkkinen began to lead the MPCC from 8 June 2017. Under this title he had responsibility for delivering the functions of mission commander for the EU training missions in Mali, Central African Republic and Somalia.[11][12]
After the service in EUMS, in 2021 Esa Pulkkinen returned to his former post as Director General of the Defence Policy Department and was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence of Finland 1 January 2022.[3] He is also the Chair of the Security Committee. The Security Committee is a permanent and broad-based cooperation body for proactive preparedness and its role is to assist the Government and ministries in matters of comprehensive security.[13]
Between 2021 - 2022 Pulkkinen has been a member of the Irish Defence Commission.[14]
References
- "Kenraaliluutnantti Esa Pulkkinen - Puolustusvoimat". puolustusvoimat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- "The European Union Military Staff (EUMS), Eeas, European Commission". Eeas. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "Esa Pulkkinen puolustusministeriön kansliapäälliköksi". Valtioneuvosto (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-02-03.
- EEAS. "Biography 2017 LtGen Esa Pulkkinen" (PDF). Curriculum Vitae. Euroopan Ulkosuhdehallinto. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "Pulkkinen, Esa Ilmari". Puolustusvoimat. Retrieved 2017-06-07.
- European Union External Action. European Union. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
- "Viran täyttämisiä puolustusministeriössä". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "Viran täyttämisiä puolustusministeriössä". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "Viran täyttämisiä puolustusministeriössä". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "Kenraalimajuri Esa Pulkkinen EU:n sotilasesikunnan päälliköksi". Retrieved 2017-03-21.
- "EU-maat päättävät sotilaallisesta johtokeskuksesta". Iltalehti. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
- EEAS. "MPCC Factsheet" (PDF). Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- "Members – Turvallisuuskomitea". Retrieved 2022-02-03.
- "Commission Members". www.gov.ie. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
External links
Media related to Esa Pulkkinen at Wikimedia Commons