Ton van Osch
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
A.G.D. (Ton) van Osch (born 1955) is an officer and commander in the Royal Netherlands Army
. He currently serves with the EU's European Council
in Brussels
as the Director General of the European Union Military Staff
. He has a wife and two daughters.
in 1974 as an officer cadet
. He graduated in 1978 and received a commission as an artillery officer. He subsequently held several positions within different infantry
and cavalry
battalion
s (including one as battery commandant) before continuing his military education in 1986.
Between 1986 and 1987 Van Osch attended the Army Staff Course at the Royal Netherlands Army Staff College. He was then posted to the Army Staff as a long term planner in the Planning Department. He then attended the US Army Command and General Staff College. Following promotion to lieutenant colonel
he worked as a lecturer in Strategy at the Instituut Defensie Leergangen. He simultaneously attended Leiden University
, where he received a Masters Degree in Public Administration
.
From 1993 to 1995 Van Osch was commander of the 41st Field Artillery Battalion in Germany. He then served at the Defense Staff Planning Department, before returning to the Army Staff as Head of Operational Policy and Training. He was deployed to Kosovo
in 1999 as part of the SFOR
staff and served at SFOR Headquarters as Chief of Land Operations and Chief of the Combined Joint Operations Center. Returning to The Netherlands he became Head of Policy Development for the Army Directorate of Personnel and Organization.
Following the 11 September attacks Van Osch was dispatched to the US Central Command in Tampa
, Florida as an operational planner for the invasion of Afghanistan
. This was following in June 2002 by promotion to brigadier general
and appointment as Director of Operations at the Dutch Ministry of Defence
. In March 2003 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Defense Staff for International Planning and Co-operation and simultaneously served as project manager for the integration of the policy headquarters of the services at the Ministry of Defence.
In December 2004 Van Osch was made commandant of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
and tasked with the integration of the officer educations for the different branches into the combined Netherlands Defense Academy — of which he became the first commandant. He remained in this position until June 2007, when he was promoted lieutenant general
and was appointed Military Representative of The Netherlands to the EU and NATO (simultaneously) in Brussels.
In May 2009 the European Council
decided Van Osch would take over as Director General of the European Union Military Staff
in 2010. He assumed this command effective 28 May 2010.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
A.G.D. (Ton) van Osch (born 1955) is an officer and commander in the Royal Netherlands Army
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army is the land forces element of the military of the Netherlands.-Short history:The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to 1572, when the so-called Staatse Leger was raised...
. He currently serves with the EU's European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
as the Director General of the European Union Military Staff
European Union Military Staff
The European Union Military Staff is a department of the European Union , responsible for supervising operations within the realm of the Common Security and Defence Policy...
. He has a wife and two daughters.
Military career
Van Osch enrolled in the Koninklijke Militaire AcademieKoninklijke Militaire Academie
The Royal Military Academy is the service academy for the Dutch Army and the Dutch Air Force. Located in Breda, the Netherlands, the KMA has trained future officers since 1828.-Description:...
in 1974 as an officer cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
. He graduated in 1978 and received a commission as an artillery officer. He subsequently held several positions within different infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s (including one as battery commandant) before continuing his military education in 1986.
Between 1986 and 1987 Van Osch attended the Army Staff Course at the Royal Netherlands Army Staff College. He was then posted to the Army Staff as a long term planner in the Planning Department. He then attended the US Army Command and General Staff College. Following promotion to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
he worked as a lecturer in Strategy at the Instituut Defensie Leergangen. He simultaneously attended Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, where he received a Masters Degree in Public Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
.
From 1993 to 1995 Van Osch was commander of the 41st Field Artillery Battalion in Germany. He then served at the Defense Staff Planning Department, before returning to the Army Staff as Head of Operational Policy and Training. He was deployed to Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 1999 as part of the SFOR
SFOR
The Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement. It replaced the previous force IFOR...
staff and served at SFOR Headquarters as Chief of Land Operations and Chief of the Combined Joint Operations Center. Returning to The Netherlands he became Head of Policy Development for the Army Directorate of Personnel and Organization.
Following the 11 September attacks Van Osch was dispatched to the US Central Command in Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
, Florida as an operational planner for the invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. This was following in June 2002 by promotion to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and appointment as Director of Operations at the Dutch Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence governs the Netherlands Armed Forces. The Minister is assisted by a State Secretary...
. In March 2003 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Defense Staff for International Planning and Co-operation and simultaneously served as project manager for the integration of the policy headquarters of the services at the Ministry of Defence.
In December 2004 Van Osch was made commandant of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie
Koninklijke Militaire Academie
The Royal Military Academy is the service academy for the Dutch Army and the Dutch Air Force. Located in Breda, the Netherlands, the KMA has trained future officers since 1828.-Description:...
and tasked with the integration of the officer educations for the different branches into the combined Netherlands Defense Academy — of which he became the first commandant. He remained in this position until June 2007, when he was promoted lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and was appointed Military Representative of The Netherlands to the EU and NATO (simultaneously) in Brussels.
In May 2009 the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
decided Van Osch would take over as Director General of the European Union Military Staff
European Union Military Staff
The European Union Military Staff is a department of the European Union , responsible for supervising operations within the realm of the Common Security and Defence Policy...
in 2010. He assumed this command effective 28 May 2010.