SHAPE Biographies: DSACEUR Admiral Rainer Feist Page 1 of 2

Updated: 28-Aug-2003 SHAPE > Biographies

Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe (DSACEUR)

2002-

Admiral Rainer Feist

Admiral Feist was born on 12 April 1945 in Cuxhaven ().

After graduating from high school, he joined the in 1966 as an officer cadet with Crew IV/ 66. Officer training at the Naval Academy, Flensburg Mürwik was successfully completed in 1968 and was followed by watch officer and torpedo officer duties on fast patrol boats and destroyers. He then undertook antisubmarine warfare officer training from 1974-1975 and, later, the Admiral staff course at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in . In 1979, he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the guided-missile fast patrol boat, "Greif", part of the 2nd Fast Patrol Boat Squadron, Olpenitz.

From 1981 until 1983, Admiral Feist was Assistant Branch Chief, "Politico-Military Affairs", Armed Forces Staff, Federal Ministry of Defence, . After a one-year posting as Acting Division Commander and Deputy Commander of the 7th Fast Patrol Boat Squadron in , he was appointed Branch Chief "Planning" at NATO Headquarters BALTAP in Karup, between 1984 and 1987.

Admiral Feist assumed command of the 2nd Fast Patrol Boat Squadron, Olpenitz from 1987 to 1990, after which he became an instructor at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Hamburg from 1990 to 1991. This was followed by a staff appointment as the Branch Chief "Politico-Military Affairs", Armed Forces Staff, Federal Ministry of Defence, Bonn.

In 1994, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the PfP Co-ordination Cell in Mons, SHAPE, . From 1998 until 2000, he assumed the appointment of Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff, German Fleet Command, Glücksburg, before commanding the Military District Command I, Kiel from April 2000 until September 2000.

On promotion to Vice-Admiral in October 2000, he became the Vice Chief of Defence and Commissioner for Reserve Affairs in the Bundeswehr.

Admiral Feist was appointed Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) on 18 September 2002. In February 2003, he assumed the additional appointment of Operation Commander for the European Union-led mission, Operation Concordia, to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1. The EU officially took command of the mission from NATO on 31 March 2003 in a landmark event in NATO-EU strategic cooperation and partnership.

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Admiral Feist and his wife Heidi have two sons.

1. Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.

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