Colonel (GS) Oliver Eckstein has been the Chief of Staff NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force since January 2025.
Military Career
- 1983: Entry into the Bundeswehr, basic training in Leipheim
- 1984: Professional training as radar non-commissioned officer at 4th Coy/SAM Battalion 32
- 1985: Student pilot at security squadron in Fürstenfeldbruck
- 1987: Commissioning training at the German Air Force Officer School at Fürstenfeldbruck
- From 09/1988: Training as Tornado weapons system officer at Mather Air Force Base, California, USA
- From 06/1989: Tornado basic training with the Alpha Jet weapon system at Fighter Bomber Wing 49 in Fürstenfeldbruck
- From 02/1990: Tornado weapon system transition training in Cottesmore, Great Britain
- From 10/1990: Weapon system officer/Tornado IDS operations officer at Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld
- 1997: Weapon system field-grade officer, operations field-grade officer/Tornado ECR at Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld
- From 09/1999: Participant in the 44th General Staff Officer Course (German Air Force) at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College
- From 10/2001: Intelligence general staff officer and section chief at the Bundeswehr Intelligence Office/Bundeswehr Intelligence Center
- From 10/2004: Assistant branch chief for joint reconnaissance capability development, Armed Forces Staff (FüS) II 1 (later: FüS II 2) at the German Federal Ministry of Defense
- From 10/2006: Commander Flying Group, Fighter Bomber Wing 32 in Klosterlechfeld
- From 10/2009: Chief of Operations Division A3 at the Headquarters, 1st Air Division in Fürstenfeldbruck
- From 07/2012: Section Chief of Independent Central Affairs Section at Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command in Potsdam
- From 07/2014: Branch head of German Air Force Headquarters Liaison Element to the Bundeswehr Joint Forces Operations Command
- From 07/2016: Senior National Representative German Detachment CAOC Al Udeid
- From 02/2017: Commander 1st Training Wing, German Air Force Officer School in Fürstenfeldbruck
- From 04/2019: Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff German Air Force Officer School in Fürstenfeldbruck
- From 01/2025: Chief of Staff NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force (NISRF) in Sigonella, Italy
Deployments
- From 09/1995: Missions with the Tornado weapon system over Bosnia and Herzegovina in support of the Rapid Reaction Force, the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) and the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR).
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From 03/1999: Missions with the Tornado weapon system over Kosovo for the NATO Operation Allied Force.
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06-09/2009: Deployment as Military Assistant to the Commander European Force (EUFOR) in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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07/2016 – 01/2017: Deployment as Senior National Representative German Detachment CAOC Al Udeid
Career Advancement
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10/1989 Second Lieutenant
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10/1991 First Lieutenant
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10/1994 Captain
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10/1998 Major
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02/2002 Lieutenant Colonel
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01/2013 Colonel
Decorations
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Gold Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr
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Silver Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr
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Bronze Medal of Honor of the Bundeswehr
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IFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal
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SFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal
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Allied Force Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal
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EUFOR Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal
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COUNTER DAESH Bundeswehr Foreign Duty Medal
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NATO Former Yugoslavia Foreign Duty Medal
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NATO KOSOVO Foreign Duty Medal
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European Security Defence Policy Service Medal ALTHEA
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Bundeswehr Combat Medal