NATO Mission Iraq

Baghdad - Iraq

Commander

Lieutenant General Per Pugholm Olsen

Per Pugholm Olsen (PPO) joined the armed forces in 1983 and commissioned from the Royal Danish Air Force Academy in 1988 as a Tactical Control Officer at Ground Based Defence. PPO attended Junior Staff Course in 1991-1992 and the Senior Staff Course in 1994- 1995. In 2001-2002 PPO attended the USAF Air War College at Air University in Alabama, US, and became a Master in Strategic Study.

PPO has served in various staff and command positions within Ground Based Air Defence and the Tactical Air Command Denmark. Following promotion to Colonel in 2002, PPO served as Assistant Chief of Staff Policy Division at Defence Command Denmark follow by the position as Chief of Staff at Tactical Air Command Denmark.

In 2005-2006 PPO deployed to Iraq as Deputy Commander of Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), Multinational Security Transition Command – Iraq (MNSTC- I). Returning to Denmark PPO resumed the position as Chief of Staff at the Tactical Air Command before being promoted to Major General in 2008 and appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans, Policy and Resources at Defence Command Denmark. In 2011 PPO was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed as the Commanding General of Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization. In 2015 PPO was appointed as the Danish Military Representative to NATO Headquarters, Brussel. Returning to Denmark in 2017 PPO was appointed as Deputy Permanent Secretary of State for Defence for Strategic Management at the Danish Ministry of Defence.

PPO lives in the northern part of Jutland with his wife, who is an Art Director. They have two grown up daughters; one is a management consultant and the other studies chemical engineering. In his spare time PPO enjoys renovating the family’s old house (from 1907) and outdoor activities such as running.