Carsten Breuer

Carsten Breuer (born 1 December 1964) is a German Army general serving as the 17th and current Inspector General of the Bundeswehr. Prior to his appointment to the post, Breuer served as the first commander of the Bundeswehr Homeland Defence Command and is also known for his role as commander of the COVID-19 Task Force. Breuer also served as commander of the Bundeswehr Territorial Command, the 37 Armoured Infantry Brigade and the 12 Armoured Air Defence Gun Battalion.

Early life and education

Breuer was born in Letmathe, a small suburb located at North Rhine-Westphalia on 1 December 1964. In 1984, upon graduating high school, Breuer entered the Bundeswehr under the 11th Air Defense Regiment (Flugabwehrregiment 11) in Achim and later moved to the Army Air Defence Training Centre in Rendsburg to complete the officer candidate school from 1984 to 1985. After completing his course, Breuer was transferred to the Helmut Schmidt University to finish his education and graduated in 1988 with a degree in educational theory. Breuer later finished the General Staff Officer Course at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College 1995 to 1997 and the US Command and General Staff Officers’ Course at the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in the United States from 2001 to 2002.

Military career

Breuer started his career in 1989 where he served as an Assistant to Division Commander for military intelligence operations under the 10 Air Defence Regiment and as an adjutant to the Division Commander under the 10th Armoured Division, both based in Sigmaringen from 1989 to 1992. From 1992 to 1995, Breuer was named as commander 4th Battery, 6 Armoured Air Defence Gun Demonstration Battalion in Lütjenburg, before serving as a branch instructor under the Army Air Defence, Armour School in Munster from 1995 to 1997.