Josip Lucić (born 26 April 1957) is a Croatian general and former chief of

General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia () is the general staff of the Armed Forces of Croatia, a joint body organized within the Ministry of Defence. It is responsible for development, organization, and equipping, trainin ...

Youth

Lucić was born in

Posavski Podgajci Posavski Podgajci is a village in eastern Croatia located west of Drenovci, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The population is 1,255 (census 2011). Name The name of the village in Croatian is plural. See also *Vukovar-Syrmia County ...

near

Drenovci Drenovci ( hu, Drenóc, german: Drenowitz) is a village and municipality in the Vukovar-Syrmia County in Croatia. The municipality is part of Slavonia. Population According to the 2011 census, there are 5,174 inhabitants, in the following se ...

on 26 April 1957. He finished elementary and high school in

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slop ...

. In 1984 he graduated at Faculty of

Kinesiology Kinesiology () is the scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, anatomical, biomechanical, pathological, neuropsychological principles and mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human health ...

University of Zagreb The University of Zagreb ( hr, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, ; la, Universitas Studiorum Zagrabiensis) is the largest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of ...

, and in 1988 he became master of kinesiology.

Military career

In November 1990, Lucić voluntarily joined the units of the Croatian Ministry of Interior, where he became the Deputy Commander of the Special Battalion "Rakitje" and later Commander of the same battalion. He was also involved in the formation of an anti-terrorist police battalion. From May to December 1991, he was the Commander of 1st Guards Brigade "Tigers". As a Commander of the 1st

Croatian National Guard The Croatian National Guard ( hr, Zbor narodne garde or ZNG) was an armed force established by Croatia in April and May 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. Although it was established within the framework of the Ministry of the Interi ...

brigade he participated in forming of second, third and fourth professional brigades of the National Guard. He was also involved in the formation of a mountain brigade, a company for alpine training, orientations, sky and mountain guides. As a Commander of the 1st Brigade he stopped the advance of the

Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...

in the direction of

Stara Gradiška Stara Gradiška (, german: Altgradisch) is a village and a municipality in Slavonia, in the Brod-Posavina County of Croatia. It is located on the left bank of the river Sava, across from Gradiška in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Etymology The first wo ...

Okučani Okučani is a village and municipal centre in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška.Novska Novska is a town in the Sisak-Moslavina County of Croatia. It is located in western part of the historic region of Slavonia, between Kutina and Nova Gradiška, linear distance southeast of the capital, Zagreb. Demographics Novska has a total pop ...

. From December 1991 to April 1992, he was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the

Croatian Army The Croatian Army ( hr, Hrvatska kopnena vojska or HKoV) is the largest and most significant component of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF). Role and deployment The fundamental role and purpose of the Croatian Army is to protect vital national i ...

and he also participated in the process of organizing and training of the

. From April to June 1992, he was the Commander of Military District

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

. After the signing of a ceasefire treaty, he secured conditions for peace in Eastern

Slavonia Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja ...

. Conditions for the arrival of

UNTAES The United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) was a UN peacebuilding transitional administration in the Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia in the eastern parts of Croatia ...

were also secured under his command. From June to December 1992, he was the Deputy Minister and Chief of the Personnel Department of the Ministry of Defence of Republic of Croatia. From December 1992 to March 1996, Lucić served as the Chief Inspector at the General Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense. In February 1996, he became the Chief of the Military Academy "

Petar Zrinski Petar IV Zrinski ( hu, Zrínyi Péter) (6 June 1621 – 30 April 1671) was Ban of Croatia (Viceroy) from 1665 to 1670, general and a writer. A member of the Zrinski noble family, he was noted for his role in the attempted Croatian-Hungarian Magna ...

" in

Karlovac Karlovac () is a city in central Croatia. According to the 2011 census, its population was 55,705. Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County. The city is located on the Zagreb- Rijeka highway and railway line, south-west of Zagre ...

. On 20 November 2000, he became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces. On 16 January 2003, he was named Chief of the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...

by commander-in-chief of Armed Forces of Croatia and

President of Croatia The president of Croatia, officially the President of the Republic of Croatia ( hr, Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and chief representative of the Republic of Croatia both within the ...

Stjepan Mesić Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić (; born 24 December 1934) is a Croatian lawyer and politician who served as President of Croatia from 2000 to 2010. Before serving two five-year terms as president, he was prime minister of SR Croatia (1990) after the fir ...

. On 16 January 2008, his five-year mandate expired and he was formally relieved of his duties. On 28 February 2008, he was named, once again, Chief of General Staff, thereby becoming the first Croatian general to serve in this capacity more than once. On 1 March 2011, he was once again relieved of his duties.

Decorations

Svecanost podizanja NATOve zastave Zagreb 59

Croatian decorations

Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV The Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV ( hr, Velered kralja Petra Krešimira IV.), or more fully the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV with sash and Morning Star (''Velered kralja Petra Krešimira IV. s lentom i Danicom''), is an order of ...

Order of Duke Domagoj The Order of Duke Domagoj ( hr, Red kneza Domagoja) is the 8th most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia and is the nation's highest award for bravery. The order was founded on April 1, 1995. The medal is awarded for valor in combat. ...

Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski The Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski ( hr, Red Nikole Šubića Zrinskog) is the 9th most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on April 1, 1995. The medal is awarded for a heroic act in war or imminent danger of ...

Order of Ban Jelačić The Order of Ban Jelačić ( hr, Red bana Jelačića) is the 10th most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on April 1, 1995. The medal is awarded for excellence in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. It ...

Order of Ante Starčević The Order of Ante Starčević ( hr, Red Ante Starčevića) is a Croatian national decoration which ranks twelfth in importance. The order was formed on 10 March 1995. The Order of Ante Starčević is granted to Croatians and foreigners for their ...

Order of the Croatian Trefoil The Order of the Croatian Trefoil ( hr, Red hrvatskog trolista) is the sixteenth most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on 1 April 1995. The medal is awarded for excellence in war, direct war danger or in ext ...

Order of the Croatian Interlace The Order of the Croatian Interlace or Order of the Early Croatian three-strand pattern ( hr, Red hrvatskog pletera) is the seventeenth most important medal given by the Republic of Croatia. The order was founded on 1 April 1995. The medal is aw ...

Commemorative Medal of the Homeland War The Homeland War Memorial ( hr, Spomenica Domovinskog rata) is a Croatian state medal awarded to both Croatian and foreign citizens who participated in the nation's Croatian War of Independence as a volunteer, part of the Croatian Army and Croat ...

Commemorative Medal of the Homeland's Gratitude Homeland's Gratitude Medal ( hr, Spomenica domovinske zahvalnosti) is the 19th most important medal in the Croatian honours system. The Homeland's Gratitude Medal has four classes, each for the length of service of 5, 10, 15, and 20 or more yea ...

for 5 years of honorable service *

for 10 years of honorable servicenarodne-novine.nn.hr
Accessed 2011-08-13. * "Flash" Medal * "Storm" Medal * "Exceptional Undertaking" Medal

Foreign decorations

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

() *

Grand Officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fr ...

(

International Military Sports Council The International Military Sports Council (IMSC) or Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM), is an international sports association, established in 1948 and headquartered in Brussels. It is the world's second-largest multi-discipline sport ...

)

Other offices

*Member of Council for Defence and National Security (VONS) *Member of Military Council *President of Council for System of Command (SUZA) *President of High Court-Martial *President of Croatian delegation for military sports (CISM) *President of Organization Committee of 2nd Military Games in Zagreb in 1999

Private life

General Lucić is married and has two sons.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Lucic, Josip 1957 births People from Drenovci Croatian army officers Military personnel of the Croatian War of Independence Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit Living people Order of Ante Starčević recipients Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski recipients