Teodoro Esteban López Calderón

Teodoro Esteban López Calderón (born 3 May 1954, Cartagena, Spain) is an officer of the Spanish Navy who currently serves as its Chief of Staff, holding the rank of Admiral General. Up until his appointment to that post in March 2017, he served as the head of Defense Operations Command, responsible for overseeing military operations abroad.

Biography
López Calderón was born in 1954 in the city of Cartagena and joined the Spanish Navy in 1973. Throughout his naval career, he had command of the second anti-mine squadron, the frigate Cataluña, the 41st Escort Squadron, and the 2nd Group of Naval Action Forces. During the latter, López Calderón took part in Operation Active Endeavor, as the 2nd Group included the Spanish surface ships that were assigned to the mission. In addition, he was a technical adviser to the Minister of Defense and head of the Navy General Staff's strategic planning section. López Calderón was also the chief of Defense Operations Command on the General Staff.

He was appointed by the Council of Ministers as the replacement of Admiral General Jaime Muńoz-Delgado on 31 March 2017 as the new Chief of Staff of the Navy.

Personal life
He is married with five children and also has two grandchildren. He can speak fluent English along with his native Spanish.

Awards and decorations

 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * ESP Gran Cruz Merito Naval (Distintivo Blanco) pasador.svg Grand Cross of Naval Merit
 * ESP Gran Cruz Orden Merito Guardia Civil pasador.svg Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Civil Guard
 * ESP Orden de San Hermenegildo Gran Cruz pasador.svg Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
 * ESP Orden de San Hermenegildo Placa pasador.svg Commander with Star of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
 * ESP Orden de San Hermenegildo Encomienda pasador.svg Commander of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
 * ESP Orden de San Hermenegildo Cruz pasador.svg Cross of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo
 * ESP Cruz Merito Militar (Distintivo Blanco) pasador.svg Cross of Military Merit
 * ESP Cruz Merito Naval (Distintivo Blanco) pasador.svg Cross of Naval Merit
 * ESP Cruz Orden Merito Guardia Civil (Plata) pasador.svg Cross of the Order Guard Merit of the Civil Guard
 * ESP Cruz Orden Merito Policial (Distintivo Blanco) pasador.svg Cross of the Order Police Merit
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg Meritorious Service Medal
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * Ordre national du Merite Chevalier ribbon.svg Chevalier of the Order of National Merit of the French Republic
 * NATO
 * NATO Meritorious Service Medal bar.svg NATO Meritorious Service Medal
 * NATO Medal ribbon (Article 5).svg Article 5 Medal for Operation Active Endeavor