BRIGADIER GENERAL MINDAUGAS STEPONAVIČIUS
Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff Brigadier General Mindaugas Steponavičius Brigadier general Mindaugas Steponavičius was born on 12 August 1974 in Venta, Akmene district municipality.
In 1994, in the Military Academy of Lithuania, he swore the officer’s oath of allegiance to Lithuania.
From 1994 to 1999 he served and studied in the Military Academy of Lithuania.
In 1999, he was promoted and appointed to the position of Tactical Intelligence Senior Specialist of the Intelligence Branch, Mechanized Infantry Brigade “Iron Wolf”, and later held the positions of Intelligence Officer and Chief of Intelligence Branch of this brigade until 2004.
In 2004, Major M. Steponavičius served as Chief of Staff of Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanized Infantry Battalion, and then was assigned to the International Operations Branch J3/J2 of the Defence Staff. He served there until 2008.
From 2008, Major Mindaugas Steponavičius was the Commander of the Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan battalion. In 2009, he was conferred the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2014, M.Steponavičius was assigned to the Capability Planning Department of the Ministry of National Defence.
In 2016, M. Steponavičius was promoted to the rank of Colonel and appointed as Commander of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade “Iron Wolf”.In 2017, under his command, mechanized Infantry Brigade “Iron Wolf” reinforced with German-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion combat group deployed to Lithuania.
In 2019, Colonel M. Steponavičius was appointed to the position of Commander of Training and Doctrine Command of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
In 2020, he was granted the rank of Brigadier General by the decree of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda and later same year appointed as Chief of the Defence Staff of Lithuanian Armed Forces. Mindaugas Steponavičius has graduated from the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of
Lithuania, Baltic Defence College (in Estonia), US Army War College.
During his long service, the Brigadier General was awarded the Medal of Knight of the Order of the Cross of Vytis, National Defence System Medal of Distinction, Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal of Merit and Medal of Distinction, other decorations, certificates of appreciation, personal gifts.
M. Steponavičius is married, has a son.
