The Ministry of Defense has announced important personnel decisions: Major General Martin Dorfer and Brigadier Gerfried Promberger, who were already in charge of Directorate 1 and Directorate 2 respectively, have now been confirmed in their positions.
They prevailed in an application process and will be appointed to their new roles as soon as possible. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner: “With Major General Martin Dorfer and Brigadier Gerfried Promberger, experienced commanders are taking over two of the highest leadership functions in the Armed Forces. Especially in times of upheaval in security policy, it is important that officers with experience lead the land forces and special operations forces on the one hand and the air forces on the other with caution on the way to a strong, modern and capable army in order to be prepared for current and future threats. I wish Major General Martin Dorfer and Brigadier Gerfried Promberger all the best and much strength for their challenging tasks and look forward to our time together on the path towards strengthened land and air forces.”
“With Major General Martin Dorfer and Brigadier Gerfried Promberger, experienced commanders are taking over two of the highest leadership positions in the Armed Forces.”
Verteidigungsministerin Klaudia Tanner
Martin Dorfer’s service in the army
Major General Martin Dorfer joined the army as a one-year volunteer in St. Michael in Upper Styria in 1985. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the infantry in 1990 and held various command and staff functions.
In 2006, he completed the 17th General Staff Course at the National Defense Academy. After assignments at the National Defense Academy, the troops and in the Central Office, he served two federal ministers as Chief of Staff in the Cabinet. In 2017, Dorfer was appointed head of the “Ongoing Operations” group and has been in charge of the “Land Forces and Special Operations Forces” Directorate (Directorate 1) since 2021. Major General Dorfer gained experience in missions abroad in 1997 in the Balkans and from 1999 to 2000 as a military observer with the UN observer mission UNTSO in the Middle East. Dorfer was commander of the Austrian contingent and chief of staff in the UNDOF mission on the Golan Heights from 2011 to 2012 and commander of the EUFOR force in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2018 and 2019. He is a recipient of the Order of Merit “Ordre National du Mérite” of the Republic of France and the Order of Merit “Honors for the Alliance” of the Hungarian Armed Forces. Martin Dorfer was born in Styria, is married, has three sons and lives with his family in the district of Wiener Neustadt. https://militaeraktuell.at/rheinmetall-experte-was-tut-sich-in-der-ukraine/ Gerfried Promberger’s service in the Austrian Armed Forces
Brigadier Gerfried Promberger is currently in charge of the Air Force (Directorate 2). He graduated as a lieutenant in 1995 and has since served as an operational pilot, military flight instructor, staff officer and commander. He has over 2,800 hours of flying experience on eight different types of aircraft, mainly the Pilatus PC-7 and the Saab 105OE. From 2000 to 2003, he completed the 16th General Staff Course at the National Defense Academy.
As Commander of the Air Force, he is responsible for the command of the Air Force. Promberger is responsible for fundamental matters of air-specific mission preparation, planning and command as well as fundamental matters of military aviation and the air safety service. Brigadier Promberger is also the “Air Chief” of the Austrian Armed Forces – representing the Chief of the General Staff in all matters relating to military aviation at home and abroad – and has coordinating authority in all air matters. In this function, he coordinates with aviation authorities and companies. As commander of the air forces, Promberger is responsible for the air surveillance and air support units as well as the air force and air defense school. He was previously Commander of Air Surveillance, Commander of the Surveillance Wing, Chief of Staff in the Air Force Command, Head of the A3 & Air Operation Center Department in the Armed Forces Command and Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Air Defence School. https://militaeraktuell.at/airborne-technologies-stellt-helikopter-fuer-polen-fertig/ Brigadier Promberger gained experience in missions abroad, including in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012. Promberger graduated from the US Air War College at the US Air University and earned a Master of Strategic Studies degree with honors. He is currently studying for a PhD in Interdisciplinary Legal Studies at the Juridicum of the University of Vienna. Gerfried Promberger was born in Carinthia, is the father of two children and lives in the city of Salzburg.
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