FIRST DEPUTY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OF THE CZECH ARMED FORCES

Major General Petr Čepelka

 

Education:

•    1983 - 1987
Mechanical Engineering School, Hronov
•    1987 - 1991
Military Aviation College Košice, aircraft and missile technology
•    2011 - 2012
Senior Officers course, National Defence Management
•    2015 - 2016
Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
•    2016
Conflict Management, Defence Academy Sandhurst
•    2017
Modular Short Course on Global Security Challenges, NATO Defense College, Rome
•    2019
Generals, Flag Officers and Ambassadors Course
•    2020 – 2021
Royal College of Defence Studies, London

Service career:

•    1991 - 1992
Pilot, 1st Helicopter Squadron, 11th Helicopter Regiment, 1st Army, Plzeň
•    1992 - 1994
Pilot, flight controller and navigator, 11th Helicopter Regiment, Plzeň
•    1994 - 2003
Helicopter navigator and captain, 33rd Helicopter Air Force Base, Plzeň
•    2004 - 2008
Flight Safety Inspector, 23rd Helicopter Air Force Base, Přerov
•    2008 - 2010
Senior officer, Helicopter and Transport Aviation Section, Air Force Department, MoD Force Development – Operations Division
•    2011 - 2013
Senior officer, Head of Section – Chief of Helicopter and Transport Aviation, MoD Force Development – Operations Division
•    2013 - 2014
Head, Helicopter and Transport Aviation Section, MoD Force Development – Operations Division
•    2014 - 2015
Deputy Air Base Commander – Wing Commander; Commander of the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base, Náměšť nad Oslavou
•    2016 - 2018
Commander, 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base, Náměšť nad Oslavou
•    2018 - 2022
Deputy Director, MoD Force Development Division
•    May 2019
Promoted Brigadier General
•    2022
Director, MoD Force Development Division
•    2022 - 2026
Commander, Czech Air Force 
•    May 2023
Promoted Major General
•    2026
First Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces

Operational deployments:

•    2008
Senior pilot, Czech Armed Forces 4th Contingent OMLT, FH and CRBN defence unit, ISAF, Afghanistan
•    2010 – 2011
Deputy Commander, Czech Air Mentoring Team Kabul, ISAF, Afghanistan

Decorations:

•    Czech Armed Forces Medal, 3rd & 2nd grade
•    Service Abroad Medal of the Minister of Defence, Afghanistan, 3rd & 2nd grade
•    Czech Armed Forces honorary badge “Přemysl Otakar II, the King of Iron and Gold”
•    U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal
•    Czech Armed Forces honorary badge of merit, 3rd grade

Language:

•    English
 

Updated: July 21, 2026