Terras promoted to rank of general
President Kersti Kaljulaid has promoted the commander of the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF), Lt. Gen. Riho Terras, to the rank of general.
The proposal to promote Terras was made by Defense Minister Margus Tsahkna (IRL), the Office of the President stated on Monday.
Since Estonia regained its independence, only two commanders of the EDF, Aleksander Einseln and Ants Laaneots, have held the rank of general.
Einseln was made general in December 1995, and was released from service by the Riigikogu the same month. Laaneots became general in June 2011, and left the position of commander-in-chief of the EDF in December the same year.
Born in the northeastern city of Kohtla-Järve in 1967, Terras graduated Jõhvi Secondary School in 1985 and passed compulsory military service in the Soviet Navy in 1985-1988.
After graduating his basic officer’s course in Estonia, Terras served as company commander and as second in command of the Kalev Single Infantry Battalion from 1992 to 1993. Between 1993 and 1994, Terras served as commander of the Põhja Single Infantry Company. After graduating the Bundeswehr University in Germany, he served as the commander of the Guard Battalion from 1998 to 2000 and was appointed chief of staff of the Kaitseliit (Defense League) volunteer corps in 2000. From 2001 to 2004 he served as Estonian defense attaché in Germany and Poland.
Between 2005 and 2008, Terras served as chief of the analysis and planning department of the EDF as well as chief of the department’s planning section. In 2007, Terras served on NATO’s Training Mission in Iraq as deputy chief of staff.
In December 2008 Terras was appointed secretary general of the Estonian Ministry of Defence. Prior to taking up that position he served as deputy chief of staff for operations of the Estonian defense forces. Terras returned to the EDF to serve as deputy chief of staff for operations in January 2011, and was appointed chief of staff of the defense forces in March the same year.
Terras was appointed commander of the Estonian Defence Forces on Dec. 5, 2011.
His military education includes time at the Royal College of Defense Studies in the United Kingdom, the Joint Command and General Staff Course at the Baltic Defense College, the European Security Policy Course in the Geneva Center of Security Policy, a battalion commander’s course in Switzerland, a company commander's course in Germany, and a company commander’s course in Sweden.
Terras’ civilian education includes history studies at the University of Tartu and a master’s degree in political science and sociology from the University of the Bundeswehr.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
Source: BNS