Drago Lovrić

Drago Lovrić (born 2 December 1961) is Croatian general and Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

Biography
Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić was born on 2 December 1961 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, FPR Yugoslavia. He graduated from the Army Academy (Air Defense Branch) in 1983. During his military career he carried out various command and staff duties. After the Academy, he was appointed as a platoon commander later as a company commander.

In August 1991, at the beginning of the Homeland War in Croatia, he joined the Croatian Armed Forces. He was appointed as a Staff Officer in the Zagreb Operational Zone and Zagreb Area Command, and subsequently commanded both the Tactical Group and the Air Defense Brigade. He was next appointed as the Chief of Staff of Gospić Area Command. In February 1995, he became Deputy Commander of Gospić Area Command and in 1998 he was appointed Commander of the 1st Area Command.

In October 1999, than Brigadier General Lovrić became Deputy Head of the Operations Directorate of the Croatian Armed Forces General Staff. From October 2000 to February 2007 he took over as head of the branch. From September 2007 to February 2011 he was the Croatian Military Representative to NATO and the EU.

On March 1, 2011, he was appointed Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces.

Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić holds Master of Science degrees in International Relations, from Zagreb University and National Resource Strategy, from the Industrial College of Armed Forces of the U.S. National Defense University in Washington, which he attended from May 2003 to November 2004. In July 2012, he earned his doctorate in the field of National Security.

Having graduated from the Army Academy as a Second Lieutenant, he was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1984, and to Captain in 1987. After joining the Croatian Armed Forces, he was promoted to Major in 1992, to Lieutenant Colonel in 1993 and to Colonel in 1995. In 1996, he was promoted to the rank of Staff Brigadier and Brigadier General in 2000. In 2005, he was promoted to Major General and in 2011 he was promoted to Lieutenant General.

He has been decorated with the following Croatian military decorations: Homeland War Commemorative Decoration, Homeland War Commemorative Decoration for 5 and 10 years of distinguished service, Order of the Croatian Braid, Order of the Croatian Trefoil, Order of the Croatian Cross, Order of Ban Josip Jelačić and Order of Duke Domagoj with Neck Ribbon. He has also received a Medal for Participation in Operation “Storm” and a Medal for Daring Feat.

Private life
He is married and has two children.

Decorations

 * Order of Duke Domagoj
 * Order of Ban Jelačić
 * Order of the Croatian Cross
 * Order of the Croatian Trefoil
 * Order of the Croatian Interlace
 * Commemorative Medal of the Homeland's Gratitude for 5 years of honorable service
 * Commemorative Medal of the Homeland's Gratitude for 10 years of honorable service
 * "Storm" Medal
 * "Exceptional Undertaking" Medal

Source

 * Official CV