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Belgium
official website of the Belgian Navy Commander of the naval Component Deputy ABNL Rear admiral (LH) Michel HOFMAN
Born in Ostend, Rear Admiral Michel HOFMAN, having finished his studies at the Royal Cadet School in Brussels, started as a Candidate Officer of the Navy at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels in 1978. As a young officer he assumes different functions on mine hunters and minesweeper and takes command in 1985 of the inshore minesweeper Oudenaarde. From 1986 to 1987 he follows the PWO course with specialty Navigation and Combat Information at the Operational School in Den Helder, the Netherlands. From July 87 until February 91 he sails as PWO/N and Operations officer on the frigate Wandelaar. He will end his appointment as the Head of Operations by taking part to the Operation Southern Breeze during the first Gulf War from September 1990 until February 1991. Following his first tour ashore, first as instructor then in command of the Operational School of the Belgian Navy in Bruges St-Croix, he takes command in May 1993 of the tripartite Minehunter Crocus until July 1994. In 1995 he becomes Executive Officer on board the frigate Westdiep and acts in May 1996 as the Staff Officer Operations of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic, STANAVFORLANT, until the summer of 1997. In September 97, he is appointed to the personnel staff of Vice Admiral Herteleer, Belgian Chief of Defense. He participates in the Working Group “Vision 2015” mandated for a strategic “reflexion” on the future of the Belgian Defense. Promotion to Commander In 1999, he is selected for the Higher Staff Course at the “Centre Interarmées de Défense” in Paris. In August 2000 he takes command of the frigate Westdiep with which he participates in Operation Active Endeavour from the launching of the Operation until February 2002. After that command, he becomes Chief of Staff of the Belgian Netherlands Task Group until April 2004, when he becomes Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff Operations in the ABNL HQ. In January 2007 he takes function first as deputy then as Chief of the Joint Operations Division of the ACOS Ops & Training of the Defense Staff. He leaves that appointment to become Deputy Force Commander in the FHQ ATALANTA from August until December 2010. Promotion to Captain Michel HOFMAN lives with his partner,Cathy Lefevre, is father of five children and lives in Ostend.
Curriculum Vitae of Rear Admiral (N) HOFMAN Michel 1 Service record a. Military career August 1978 Joined the Royal Military Academy26 September 80 Commissioned Sub-Lieutenant 26 December 96 Promoted Commander (junior grade, Capitaine de Corvette) 26 December 00 Promoted Commander (senior grade, Capitaine de Frégate) 26 September 06 Promoted Captain b. Formation 1975 - 1978 Royal Cadets School in Laeken (Brussels)1978 - 1982 Royal Military Academy 118th Promotion “All Arms” 1986 - 1987 PWO (N) specialisation course in Den Helder (Pays-Bas) 1994 - 1995 Commander’s course - Institut Royal Supérieur de Défense in Brussels 1999 - 2000 Staff course in “Collège Interarmées de Défense” (CID), Paris (France) c. Principal appointments at sea 1983 - 1985 different functions on mine countermeasure vessels1985 - 1986 Commanding officer inshore minesweeper M477 OUDENAERDE 1987 - 1991 PWO(N) on F912 WANDELAAR. Ended his appointment as operations officer during Gulf war Irak-Kuweit, 1990-1991 1993 - 1994 Commanding Officer Tripatite minehunter M917 CROCUS 1995 - 1996 XO F911 WESTDIEP 1996 - 1997 Staff officer Operations (SOO) to the Commander of NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) Sep 2000 – Apr 02 : Commanding Officer F911 WESTDIEP Apr 02 – Jan 04 : Chief of Staff of the Be-NL task Group Aug 05 – Oct 05: CO BNS WANDELAAR sold to BUL Navy (DRAZKY) Aug-Dec 2010: Deputy Force Commander FHQ EUNAVFOR ATALANTA à/b FS DE GRASSE d. Shore duties 1991- 1993 : instructor and commanding officer of the school “Operation” in Brugge St Croix(OCO) 1997 - 1999: military advisor to the Chief of Joint Staff (CHOD) Jan 04 – Dec 05 : Adjunct OPS van de Commandant Marinecomponent Jan 06 – Jun 10 : ACOS O&T – Division OPERATION (Head of section Current Ops & Head of Division from Jan 09 to Jun 10) e. Medals Commander in the Order of the CrownKnight of the Order of Leopold Military Cross First Class Military Merit Kuwait Liberation medal Liberation medal of Kuwait 3rd degree NATO Art V Operation Operation ATALANTA Medal for participation in missions or operations abroad BUL mark for “Service under the flag” 2nd class. MNG medal “Daichiu Alolar (Warrior Honor)/ second degree” 2. Civilian Identity Born in Ostend on 28 april 1961.Father of 5 children (3 boys, 2 girls) Lives in Ostend with Cathy. 3.Sport and Hobbys His hobbies are the practice of different sports like jogging, swimming, windsurfing and sailing.
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