Timo Pekka Kivinen (born 8 December 1959) is a Finnish general and the Chief of Defence since 2019. Kivinen began his career as a dragoon, and was eventually promoted to Brigade Commander of the

Karelia Brigade Karelia Brigade (''Finnish: Karjalan Prikaati'', KARPR) is one of the three Finnish Army readiness brigades. It is currently based at Valkeala. With some three thousand soldiers it is the second largest brigade in Finland. It is the only Finnish ...

in 2011, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy in 2015 and Chief of Defence Command Finland in 2017.

Career

Kivinen entered military service in the

Finnish Army The Finnish Army ( Finnish: ''Maavoimat'', Swedish: ''Armén'') is the land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Army is divided into six branches: the infantry (which includes armoured units), field artillery, anti-aircraf ...

in 1978, and completed various courses at home and abroad, including the US Army Airborne and Ranger Courses in 1983, the Infantry Captain Course and the United Nation Staff Officer Course in Sweden in 1996, the International Visitors Programme in the US in 2003, the National Defence Course in 2006, the High Command Course in 2007 and the Flag Officers and Ambassadors Course, NATO Defence College 2012. He also studied at the National War College in 1991–1993 and in the

Royal College of Defence Studies The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest lev ...

in the UK in 2008. He spent his junior years at the Uusimaa Jaeger Battalion, and was deployed in the Bosnian War as Deputy Commanding Officer, Finnish Jaeger Battalion of the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (SFOR) in 1997. He also served as an Defence Attaché in Austria, Hungary and Ukraine from 1998 to 2001, and became the Commander of the Utti Jaeger Regiment. He became the Head of Department and Vice President, National Defence University from 2004 to 2007, became the Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy Division, Defence Command 2009 – 2010, Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy Division, Defence Command from 2009 to 2010, until he became the Commander of the Karelia Brigade from 2011 to 2014, became the Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy from 2015 to 2017, became Chief of Defence Command Finland from 2017 to 2019, and became Chief of Defence on August 1, 2019.

Promotions

Lieutenant 1982 * Yliluutnantti kauluslaatta

First Lieutenant 1984 * Kapteeni kauluslaatta

Captain 1989 * FIN-majuri

Major 1992 * FIN-everstiluutnantti

Lieutenant Colonel 1998 * FIN-eversti

Colonel 2004 * Prikaatikenraali kauluslaatta

Brigadier General 2010 * Kenraalimajuri kauluslaatta

Major General 2014 * Kenraaliluutnantti kauluslaatta

Lieutenant General 2016 * Kenraali kauluslaatta

General 2019

Honors

* Military Merits Medal (''sotilasansiomitali'') * Commander,

Order of the Lion of Finland The Order of the Lion of Finland ( fi, Suomen Leijonan ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Lejons orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland. The President ...

* 1st Class with Grand Star,

Order of the Cross of Liberty The Order of the Cross of Liberty ( fi, Vapaudenristin ritarikunta; sv, Frihetskorsets orden) is one of three official state orders in Finland, along with the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland. Organisation ...

NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia *

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star ( Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim. The Order of t ...

References

1959 births Living people Finnish generals Chiefs of Staff (Finnish Defence Forces) People from Lappeenranta Commanders of the Order of the Lion of Finland Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with a Star Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star {{Finland-mil-bio-stub