Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Aldo C. Schellenberg (born September 9, 1958) is a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

professional

military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

. He is the head of the Air Force and the designated deputy of the Swiss Chief of the Armed Forces.

Personal life and education

Schellenberg attended school in Bülach and then completed his secondary education at

Kantonsschule Zürcher Unterland ''Kantonsschule Zürcher Unterland'' (KZU) is a ''Langzeit und Kurzzeit-Mittelschule'' in Bülach, Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other ...

after passing Matura type C exams in 1979. He went on to study

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

at the University of Zurich, graduating in 1986. From 1986 to 1991, he worked as an assistant at the Institute for Business Research at the University of Zurich. In 1991, he studied for his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

under the supervision of Edwin Rühli, receiving the academic title Dr. oec. publ. (Doctor of Economics) in 1991. Aldo Schellenberg is married and has four children.

Business career

From 1992 to 2011, he was the owner of a

business consulting A business consultant (from Latin ''consultare'', "to discuss") is a professional who provides professional or expert advice or service in a particular area such as security (electronic or physical), management, accountancy, law, human resources, ma ...

company, which is now run by his wife. Schellenberg's professional experience proved significant during the 2007 Swissair trial, in which executives were accused of and later cleared of charges related to accounting practices. In addition, from 2003 to 2011, Schellenberg was a lecturer at

Bern University The University of Bern (german: Universität Bern, french: Université de Berne, la, Universitas Bernensis) is a university in the Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It is a compreh ...

's Institute for Corporate Accounting and Controlling. From 2006 to 2009, he completed a postgraduate degree in

commercial law Commercial law, also known as mercantile law or trade law, is the body of law that applies to the rights, relations, and conduct of persons and business engaged in commerce, merchandising, trade, and sales. It is often considered to be a branc ...

at Bern University, resulting in a

LL.M. A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

degree.Dr. Aldo C. Schellenberg

Military service

As of 1 July 2010, Schellenberg worked part-time (60%) as commander of the

Swiss Army The Swiss Armed Forces (german: Schweizer Armee, french: Armée suisse, it, Esercito svizzero, rm, Armada svizra; ) operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Switzerland. Under the country's militia system, re ...

's Mountain Infantry Brigade 12. On January 1, 2012, he was promoted to divisionär (major general) as chief of staff of the army. On 1 January 2013, he succeeded

Markus Gygax Lieutenant General Markus Gygax is a former commander of the Swiss Air Force. His active career within the SAF began in 1971 when he achieved his qualification as a pilot. In 1973 he joined the surveillance wing flying the Hawker Hunter, and in 1 ...

as commander of the Swiss Air Force. At its meeting on 22 March 2017, the Swiss Federal Council promoted Schellenberg to Chief of Operations of the Swiss Army, effective 1 January 2018. In spring 2016, the new Federal Councillor

Guy Parmelin Guy Bernard Parmelin (; born 9 November 1959) is a Swiss politician, who served as president of Switzerland in 2021, having previously served as vice president of Switzerland in 2020. A member of the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC), he has been ...

stopped the procurement of a new air defense system, because the project group, headed by Schellenberg, proposed a system which did not fulfil requirements.

Military positions and ranks

As a militia officer, Aldo Schellenberg has held the following positions: * 1990:

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

: Commander of a Fortified Airman's Staff Battery * 1994: Captain: Chief of Staff of Mountain Division 12 * 1997:

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

in the General Staff: Commander of the Light Air Defense Division 12 * 2000: Oberstleutnant in the Generalstab: Deputy Chief of Staff of the Gebirgsdivision 12 * 2001: Oberst (

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

) of the General Staff: Staff of the Mountain Division 12 * 2004: Colonel in the General Staff: Stabschef of the Gebirgsinfanteriebrigade 12 * 2008: Colonel in the General Staff: Assigned staff officer in the staff of the Mountain Infantry Brigade 12 * 2010:

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

: Commander of the Mountain Infantry Brigade 12 * 2012:

Divisional general Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...

: Chief of the Armestab * 2013:

: Commander of the

Swiss Air Force The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army and ...

Decorations and awards

Source:

References

External links

Heads of the Swiss Air Force since 1914

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schellenber, Aldo 1958 births Living people Swiss generals Swiss Air Force personnel