Force Commander of Slovenian Armed Forces

Brigadier Branimir Furlan was born on 25 February 1963 in Celje. After graduating from the Military Academy in 1986 he served in the Yugoslav People’s Army. During the 1991 War for Slovenia he joined the Territorial Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and was an active war participant.

Education:

• 1981-1986: Military Technical Academy, Zagreb
• 1999: Senior Executive Course; George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies, Germany
• 2000-2001: M. A. degree at the Army War College, USA 

Career in the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF):

• 1991 Operations Officer, 21st Territorial Defence District HQ, Novo mesto;
• 1991-1993 Operations Officer, 2nd Territorial Defence Regional HQ, Dolenjska Region;
• 1993-1994 Operations Officer, National Territorial Defence HQ;
• 1994-1998 Operations Officer, SAF General Staff;
• 1998-2000 Chief J-3, SAF General Staff;
• 2001-2005: Commander, SAF 1st Brigade;
  2005-2006: Deputy Commander, Doctrine, Development, Education and Training Command;
• since 1 December 2006: Director of Staff, SAF General Staff
• 2006-2009: Chief of Staff at the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces.
• 2009–2010: Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces.
• since 15 July 2010 : Commander, SAF Force Command.
  
  In May 2006, he was promoted to Brigadier.

Brigadier Furlan was awarded several decorations by the Ministry of Defence. The most important include: the commemorative badge “Defended Slovenia in 1991”, the Medal for the Wounded, the Gold Medal of General Maister with Swords, Silver and Bronze Medal of General Maister, and Gold and Silver Medal of the Slovenian Armed Forces.

Brigadier Furlan is a co-author of two military Slovene-English dictionaries, an English-Slovene Dictionary, the Combat Operations manual, the Staff Procedures, and the Military Doctrine.

He is married and lives in Mirna.