Colonel Oliver Eckstein

Chief of Staff NATO ISR Force

Colonel (GS) Oliver Eckstein has been the Chief of Staff NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force since January 2025. Military Career - 1983: Entry into the Bundeswehr, basic training in Leipheim - 1984: Professional training as radar non-commissioned officer at 4th Coy/SAM Battalion 32 - 1985: Student pilot at security squadron in Fürstenfeldbruck - 1987: Commissioning training at the German Air Force Officer School at Fürstenfeldbruck - From 09/1988: Training as Tornado weapons system officer at Mather Air Force Base, California, USA - From 06/1989: Tornado basic training with the Alpha Jet weapon system at Fighter Bomber Wing 49 in Fürstenfeldbruck - From 02/1990: Tornado weapon system transition training in Cottesmore, Great Britain - From 10/1990: Weapon system officer/Tornado IDS operations officer at Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld - 1997: Weapon system field-grade officer, operations field-grade officer/Tornado ECR at Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld - From 09/1999: Participant in the 44th General Staff Officer Course (German Air Force) at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College - From 10/2001: Intelligence general staff officer and section chief at the Bundeswehr Intelligence Office/Bundeswehr Intelligence Center - From 10/2004: Assistant branch chief for joint reconnaissance capability development, Armed Forces Staff (FüS) II 1 (later: FüS II 2) at the German Federal Ministry of Defense - From 10/2006: Commander Flying Group, Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld - From 10/2009: Chief of Operations Division A3 at the Headquarters, 1st Air Division in Fürstenfeldbruck - From 07/2012: Section Chief of Independent Central Affairs Section at Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command in Potsdam - From 07/2014: Branch head of German Air Force Headquarters Liaison Element to the Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command - From 07/2016: Senior National Representative German Detachment CAOC Al Udeid - From 02/2017: Commander 1st Training Wing, German Air Force Officer School in Fürstenfeldbruck - From 04/2019: Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff German Air Force Officer School in Fürstenfeldbruck - From 01/2025: Chief of Staff NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force (NISRF) in Sigonella, Italy Deployments - From 09/1995: Missions with the Tornado weapon system over Bosnia and Herzegovina in support of the Rapid Reaction Force, the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) and the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR). - From 03/1999: Missions with the Tornado weapon system over Kosovo for the NATO Operation Allied Force. - 06-09/2009: Deployment as Military Assistant to the Commander European Force (EUFOR) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. - 07/2016 – 01/2017: Deployment as Senior National Representative German Detachment CAOC Al Udeid Career Advancement - 10/1989 Second Lieutenant - 10/1991 First Lieutenant - 10/1994 Captain - 10/1998 Major - 02/2002 Lieutenant Colonel - 01/2013 Colonel Decorations - Gold Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr - Silver Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr - Bronze Medal of Honor of the Bundeswehr - IFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal - SFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal - Allied Force Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal - EUFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal - COUNTER DAESH Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal - NATO Former Yugoslavia Foreign Duty Medal - NATO KOSOVO Foreign Duty Medal - European Security Defence Policy Service Medal ALTHEA - Bundeswehr Combat Medal