Stéphane Abrial

Stéphane Abrial, born on 7 September 1954 in the South-Western French region of Armagnac, is a French General who is the previous Commander of Allied Command Transformation based in Norfolk, VA, one of the two NATO strategic commands. His previous posting was as the Chief of Staff of the French Air Force.

French Military career
General Stéphane Abrial graduated in 1973 from the French Air Force academy (the Ecole de l'Air), and in 1974 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed pilot training at the French Air Force Academy in 1976.

From 1977 to 1991, he served as a fighter pilot both in France (in Cambrai, Dijon and Orange) and, from 1981 to 1984, in a West German Luftwaffe unit. In 1988, he assisted the Greek Air Force in converting its first unit equipped with the Mirage 2000.

In 1991, he took part in the first Gulf War as a fighter pilot and commander of the French Air Force's 5th Fighter Squadron. Later that year, he attended the Air War College, at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

From 1992 to 1996, he served in the staffs of the French Air Force Chief of Staff and the Chief of Defense Staff. From 1996 to 1999, he served at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels. In 2000, he became deputy head of the French President's military staff, and in 2002 was appointed head of the French Prime Minister's military staff.

In 2005, General Abrial became head of the French Air Defense headquarters, in Taverny, and in 2006 Air Force Chief of Staff.

NATO Supreme Allied Commander
Gen. Stéphane Abrial received appointment by the North Atlantic Council as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation on 29 July 2009, the first European to be appointed permanently as head of a NATO strategic command.

In April 2010, he received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council.

Major military awards

 * Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur
 * Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite
 * Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with star
 * Croix du Combattant
 * Médaille de l'Aéronautique
 * Overseas Medal with two bars
 * Legion of Merit (USA) Grade of Commander
 * Bundeswehr Cross of Honour in Silver
 * German Sports Badge (Military version in Bronze)
 * Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia) (Superior Class)
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
 * Officer of the Order of Aeronautical Merit
 * Santos-Dumont Medal of Merit (Medalha do Mérito Santos Dumont), Brazilian Air Force
 * Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, Commander
 * Cross of Naval Merit, Grand Cross
 * Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
 * Order of the Crown, Grand Officer