Chief of General Staff (Georgia)
{{Infobox official post
| post = Chief of General Staff
| body = Defence Forces of Georgia
| native_name = {{small|{{lang|ka|საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი}}}}
| insignia =
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption =
| flag = Georgia. Standard of Chief of General Staff.svg
| flagsize =
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Standard of Chief of General Staff
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| imagecaption =
| incumbent = Brigadier general Joni Tatunashvili
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 9 July 2020
| department = Ministry of Defence of Georgia
| style =
| type = Military department
| status =
| abbreviation =
| member_of = General Staff of Georgian Defence Forces
| reports_to = Minister of Defence
Chief of Defence
| residence = Tbilisi
| seat =
| nominator =
| appointer = Minister of Defence of Georgia
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength =
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor =
| formation = 1991
| first = Jemal Kutateladze
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary =
| website =
}}
The Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defence Forces ({{lang-ka|საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი|tr}}) is a high-ranking officer in the military of Georgia, who heads the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Georgia and is an ex officio Deputy Chief of the Defence Forces. The Chief is appointed by the Minister of Defence and reports to the Minister and Chief of Defence Forces.
Overview
The Chief of General Staff exercises overall leadership of the General Staff and directs its day-to-day activities. The Chief is responsible for the proper execution of the tasks saddled on the General Staff, supervises planning of military operations, oversees coordination among the staffs of various units of the Defence Forces, and performs other functions as defined by the military law.{{cite act |title=საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება |trans-title=Statutes of the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Georgia |type=Order of the Minister of Defence of Georgia |number=№132 |language=ka |date=22 November 2013 |article= |article-type= |page= |url=https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/2087081?publication=0}}
The Chief of General Staff is also a Deputy Chief of Defence Forces. They are appointed, with no term length, and released of the position by the Minister of Defence of Georgia.
History
The office of the Chief of General Staff was introduced in Georgia following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It has undergone several name changes since then. Prior to the 2018 reforms, the Chief was appointed by the President of Georgia on the advice of the Minister of Defence for a three-year term, with the possibility of extension for one year. The Chief was the highest-ranking military officer in the Georgian military, chief military adviser to the President, and wartime commander of the Armed Forces of Georgia.{{cite act |title=საქართველოს თავდაცვის სამინისტროს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის დებულება |trans-title=Statutes of the General Staff of the Defence Forces of Georgia |type=Order of the Minister of Defence of Georgia |number=№298 |language=ka |date=13 December 2018 |article= |article-type= |page= |url=https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/4401383?publication=0}}
List
=Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (1991–2008)=
For period from 1921 to 1991, see Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Union.
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Chief of General Staff
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank =
| officeholder = Jemal Kutateladze
| officeholder_sort = Kutateladze, Jemal
| officeholder_note =
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = August 1991
| term_end = December 1991
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1991|08|1|1991|12|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image =
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Avtandil Tskitishvili
| officeholder_sort = Tskitishvili, Avtandil
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1950
| died_year = 2013
| term_start = January 1992
| term_end = December 1993
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1992|01|1|1993|12|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image =
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Guram Nikolaishvili
| officeholder_sort = Nikolaishvili, Guram
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1952
| died_year =
| term_start = December 1993
| term_end = June 1994
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1993|12|1|1994|06|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image =
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Nodar Tatarashvili
| officeholder_sort = Tatarashvili, Nodar
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1941
| died_year =
| term_start = June 1994
| term_end = June 1996
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1994|06|1|1996|06|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 5
| image =
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Zurab Meparishvili
| officeholder_sort = Meparishvili, Zurab
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1934
| died_year =
| term_start = June 1996
| term_end = May 1998
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1996|06|1|1998|05|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 6
| image = Richard B. Myers met upon his arrival in Tbilisi by General Lieutenant Joni Pirtskhalaishvili. 23 Nov 2002 (cropped).jpeg
| military_rank = Lieutenant general
| officeholder = Joni Pirtskhalaishvili
| officeholder_sort = Pirtskhalaishvili, Joni
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1947
| died_year =
| term_start = May 1998
| term_end = September 2003
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1998|05|1|2003|09|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 7
| image =
| military_rank =
| officeholder = Givi Iukuridze
| officeholder_sort = Iukuridze, Givi
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1956
| died_year =
| term_start = February 2004
| term_end = 25 August 2004
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2004|02|1|2004|08|25}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 8
| image = Vakhtang Kapanadze (December 5, 2004).jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Vakhtang Kapanadze
| officeholder_sort = Kapanadze, Vakhtang
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1960
| died_year =
| term_start = 25 August 2004
| term_end = 18 February 2005
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2004|08|25|2005|02|18}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 9
| image = Levan Nikoleishvili (March 29, 2005).jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Levan Nikoleishvili
| officeholder_sort = Nikoleishvili, Levan
| officeholder_note =
| born_year =
| died_year =
| term_start = 18 February 2005
| term_end = 2 November 2006
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2005|02|18|2006|11|02}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 10
| image = Zazagogava.jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Zaza Gogava
| officeholder_sort = Gogava, Zaza
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1971
| died_year =
| term_start = 2 November 2006
| term_end = 4 November 2008
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|2006|11|02|2008|11|04}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
=Chief of Joint Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (2008–2013)=
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Chief of Joint Staff
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Vladimer Chachibaia (January 27, 2005).jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Vladimer Chachibaia
| officeholder_sort = Chachibaia, Vladimer
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1971
| died_year =
| term_start = 4 November 2008
| term_end = 5 March 2009
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2008|11|04|2009|03|05}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image = Devi.JPG
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Devi Chankotadze
| officeholder_sort = Chankotadze, Devi
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1961
| died_year =
| term_start = 5 March 2009
| term_end = 8 October 2012
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2009|03|05|2012|10|08}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image = Col. Giorgi Kalandadze.jpg
| military_rank = Brigadier general
| officeholder = Giorgi Kalandadze
| officeholder_sort = Kalandadze, Giorgi
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1980
| died_year =
| term_start = 8 October 2012
| term_end = 11 November 2012
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2012|10|08|2012|11|11}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = –
| image = Georgian Army hosts Easter ceremony, Helmand. 2014 05.jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Vakhtang Kapanadze
| officeholder_sort = Kapanadze, Vakhtang
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1960
| died_year =
| term_start = 11 November 2012
| term_end = 4 December 2012
| acting = y
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2012|11|11|2012|12|04}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image = Irakli Dzneladze 2013.jpg
| military_rank = Colonel
| officeholder = Irakli Dzneladze
| officeholder_sort = Dzneladze, Irakli
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1968
| died_year =
| term_start = 4 December 2012
| term_end = 22 November 2013
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2012|12|04|2013|11|22}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
=Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces (2013–2018)=
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Chief of General Staff
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
| showref = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Georgian Army hosts Easter ceremony, Helmand. 2014 05.jpg
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Vakhtang Kapanadze
| officeholder_sort = Kapanadze, Vakhtang
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1960
| died_year =
| term_start = 22 November 2013
| term_end = 22 November 2016
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2013|11|22|2016|11|22}}
| ref = —
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image = Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, Gen. James F. Amos receives an award at Tbilisi, Georgia, Sept. 4, 2014. (cropped).JPG
| military_rank = Major general
| officeholder = Vladimer Chachibaia
| officeholder_sort = Chachibaia, Vladimer
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1971
| died_year =
| term_start = 22 November 2016
| term_end = 20 December 2018
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2016|11|22|2018|12|20}}
| ref = {{cite web|url=http://agenda.ge/en/news/2016/2904|title=President appoints new Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces|website=Agenda.ge|accessdate=2018-08-30}}{{cite web|url=http://dfwatch.net/general-chachibaia-promoted-to-chief-of-the-georgian-army-general-staff-46649|title=General Chachibaia promoted to chief of the Georgian Army General Staff - Democracy & Freedom Watch | Security | Democracy & Freedom Watch|website=dfwatch.net|accessdate=2018-08-30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
=Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defence Forces (2018–present)=
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| officeholder_title = Chief of General Staff
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
| showref = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = Major General
| officeholder = Zaza Chkhaidze
| officeholder_sort = Chkhaidze, Zaza
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1974
| died_year =
| term_start = 20 December 2018
| term_end = 27 December 2019
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2018|12|20|2019|12|27}}
| ref = -
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image =
| military_rank = Brigadier General
| officeholder = Giorgi Matiashvili
| officeholder_sort = Matiashvili, Giorgi
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1977
| died_year =
| term_start = 27 December 2019
| term_end = 1 July 2020
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2019|12|27|2020|7|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image =
| military_rank = Brigadier General
| officeholder = Joni Tatunashvili
| officeholder_sort = Tatunashvili, Joni
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1976
| died_year =
| term_start = 9 July 2020
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2020|7|9}}
| ref = -
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}