Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command

Colonel Ernest Anželj was born on 25 November 1962 in Ptuj. He is a graduate in engineering and a specialist in management. Colonel Anželj is married with two children and lives near Maribor. During his military career he performed numerous important duties in the SAF and Territorial Defence of the Republic of Slovenia (TORS) which he joined as a member of the first generation of the Slovenian Armed Forces, called “enkarji” (the number ones) (due to the number “1” attached to the sleeve of the uniform). Colonel Anželj was an active participant in the War for Slovenia in 1991. During this war, his co-combatants named him “Armbrust” for the courage he had demonstrated in the 710th Pekre Education Centre at the time of the so-called Pekre events.

Education, training and career path:

• 1992–1993: Training in the first generation of the Territorial Defence Officer School
• 1993: Promoted to Second Lieutenant
• 1995: Promoted to Lieutenant
• 1996: School of Company Commanders at the Territorial Defence Training Centre (Poljče)
• 1999: Promoted to Captain
• 2000: STANAG 3332 Training (Great Britain)
• 2003: Senior Staff Military Education and Training (Command and Staff School of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF))
• 2004: Promoted to Major
• 2006: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
• 2007–2008: General Staff Military Education and Training (SAF Command and Staff School)
• 2011: Promoted to Colonel

Assignments at the Ministry of Defence and the Slovenian Armed Forces:

• 1991–1992: Instructor at the 710th Pekre Education Centre
• 1992–1995: Training Platoon Commander at the 710th Slovenska Bistrica Education Centre
• 1995–1998: Motorised Battalion Commander at the 74th Armoured-Mechanised Battalion and Chief of S-2 at the 74th Armoured-Mechanised Battalion
• 1998–2002: G-1 Staff Officer, General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces
• 2002–2004: Head of Combat Morale Section at the SAF Force Command
• 2004–2006: Head of Department of Operations and Acquisition at the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces/Personnel Acquisition Section
• 2006–2008: Commander of the 17th Military Police Battalion
• 2008–2010: Commander of the 72nd Brigade of the Slovenian Armed Forces
• 2010: Commander of the 21st Slovenian KFOR Contingent (SVNKON), SNR and DCOM at MNBG-W KFOR
• 2011: Chief of Sector for Military Affairs at the Defence Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Defence
• 2011–2012: Chief of J-2 at the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces
• 2012: Deputy Commandant of the Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command
• 2013: Commandant of the Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command

Medals and Decorations of the Ministry of Defence and the Slovenian Armed Forces:

• Merits for the establishment of the Slovenian Armed Forces and training of the first members of the Slovenian Armed Forces’ peacetime structure “1” – 1991
• Commemorative Badge “Defended the homeland” – 1991
• Bronze Medal of General Maister with Swords for merits in war – 1991
• Pekre Combat Action – 1991
• Commemorative Badge “We won” – 1991
• Gold Anti-Armour Unit Commemorative Badge of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia – 1993
• Bronze Badge of the 74th Armoured-Mechanised Battalion – 1996
• Commemorative Badge for the 5th Anniversary of the War for Slovenia – 1996
• Gold Badge of the 7th Regional Command of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 1997
• Bronze Plaque of the 7th Regional Command of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 1998
• Silver Badge of the 74th Armoured-Mechanised Battalion – 1999
• Silver Medal of General Maister for merits in peace – 2001
• Commemorative Combat Badge of the Union of Veterans of the War for Slovenia 1991 – 2001
• Commemorative Badge of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces for the 10th Anniversary of the War for Slovenia – 2001
• Bronze Medal of the Chief of General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 2002
• Bronze Badge of the Personnel Acquisition Section – 2003
• Silver Badge of the Personnel Acquisition Section – 2005
• Gold Badge of the Personnel Acquisition Section – 2006
• Silver Medal of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 2006
• Medal of the 1st Brigade Class III – 2007
• Bronze Sword of the Force Command – 2008
• Medal of the 1st Brigade Class I – 2008
• Gold Medal of General Maister – 2008
• Gold Medal of the 17th Military Police Battalion – 2008
• Medal “In the service of peace” (SVNKON 21 KFOR) – 2010
• Gold Medal of the 72nd Brigade of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 2010
• 20 years of service at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia – 2011
• Silver Badge of the Intelligence and Security Service – 2011
• Silver Medal of the Chief of General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces – 2011
NATO Medals:
• NATO Medal – Non-Article 5 – 2010
• Hungarian Service Medal for Peacekeeping – 2010
• Italian Silver Croce Commemorative MNBG-W KFOR – 2010
• Romanian Emblem of Merit Third Class – 2010