Martin Herem

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Short description|Estonian military personnel}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Martin Herem

| honorific_suffix =

| image = Estonia Independence Day Parade (5127690) (cropped).jpg

| image_upright =

| alt =

| caption = General Martin Herem in 2019

| birth_name =

| nickname =

| office = Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces

| term_start = 5 December 2018

| term_end = 30 June 2024

| leader =

| president = {{Plainlist|

• Kersti Kaljulaid
• Alar Karis

}}

| predecessor = Riho Terras

| successor = Andrus Merilo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|12|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| placeofburial =

| placeofburial_label =

| allegiance = {{flag|Estonia}}

| branch = {{nowrap|23px Estonian Defence Forces}}

| branch_label =

| serviceyears = 1992–2024

| serviceyears_label =

| rank = 23px General

| rank_label =

| servicenumber =

| unit =

| commands = {{Plainlist|

• Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces
• Estonian National Defence College
• Northeast Defense District

}}

| battles = Iraq War

| battles_label =

| mawards = See: Awards, decorations, and recognition

| spouse =

| children =

| relations =

}}

Martin Herem (born 17 December 1973) is an Estonian General and was the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces from 2018 to 2024.{{cite web|title=Gallery: Maj. Gen. Herem takes over command of the Estonian Defence Forces |url=https://news.err.ee/882147/gallery-maj-gen-herem-takes-over-command-of-the-estonian-defence-forces |publisher=ERR |accessdate=4 December 2018}}{{cite web |date=16 January 2024 |title=Estonian Defense Forces' commander announces resignation |url=https://news.err.ee/1609223882/estonian-defense-forces-commander-announces-resignation |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=ERR |language=en}}

Herem entered into service in 1992. From 2013 to 2016 he served as the Commandant of the Estonian National Defence College and from 2016 to 2018 Chief of Staff of the Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces.{{cite web |title=Brigadier General Martin Herem |url=http://www.mil.ee/UserFiles/ENG/Estonian_Defence_Forces/Headquarters/Brigadier%20General%20MARTIN%20HEREM%20Bio |publisher=Estonian Defence Forces |accessdate=4 December 2018}} Herem was one of the re-founding members of the paramilitary Estonian Defence League in 1990.{{cite web |title=Aasta allohvitser ja ohvitser alustasid sõjaväelist karjääri Kaitseliidu Rapla malevas |url=http://www.kaitseliit.ee/et/aasta-allohvitser-ja-ohvitser-alustasid-sojavaelist-karjaari-kaitseliidu-rapla-malevas |publisher=Estonian Defence League |accessdate=4 December 2018 |language=Estonian}}

On 24 January 2023, Martin Herem was promoted to the rank of general.{{cite web |last1=Kook |first1=Urmet |title=President andis kaitseväe juhatajale kindrali auastme |url=https://www.err.ee/1608861635/president-andis-kaitsevae-juhatajale-kindrali-auastme |website=err.ee |publisher=ERR |date=24 January 2023}}

Herem became the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces in December 2018. His tenure was extended for another two years in October 2022, in the interests of stability in the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite web |title=Riigikogu committee unanimous in call to prolong EDF commander's term |url=https://news.err.ee/1608745132/riigikogu-committee-unanimous-in-call-to-prolong-edf-commander-s-term |website=err.ee |access-date=16 January 2024 |language=en |date=10 October 2022}}

On 16 January 2024, Herem announced his plan to step down from the post in the summer of 2024, calling the situation stable enough for the change of leadership, which it might not be in the end of his tenure in two years time.