# Supreme Allied Commander Europe

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is based at SHAPE in Casteau, Belgium. In effect, SACEUR is the second-highest military position within NATO, below only the Chair of the NATO Military Committee in terms of precedence. There is another Supreme Allied Commander in NATO, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), titularly equal, but whose duties are less operational. SACT, in Norfolk, Virginia, has responsibility for capability development rather than operations.
SACEUR has always been held by a U.S. military officer, and the position is dual-hatted with that of Commander of United States European Command.
The current SACEUR is General Christopher G. Cavoli of the United States Army.

## List of holders

Since 2003 the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) has also served as the head of Allied Command Europe and the head of Allied Command Operations. The officeholders have been:
| No. | Supreme Allied Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
| 1 | Eisenhower, DwightGeneral of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) | 2 April 1951 | 30 May 1952 | 1 year, 58 days | United States Army |
| 2 | Ridgway, MatthewGeneral Matthew Ridgway (1895–1993) | 30 May 1952 | 11 July 1953 | 1 year, 42 days | United States Army |
| 3 | Gruenther, AlfredGeneral Alfred Gruenther (1899–1983) | 11 July 1953 | 20 November 1956 | 3 years, 132 days | United States Army |
| 4 | Norstad, LaurisGeneral Lauris Norstad (1907–1988) | 20 November 1956 | 1 January 1963 | 6 years, 42 days | United States Air Force |
| 5 | Lemnitzer, LymanGeneral Lyman Lemnitzer (1899–1988) | 1 January 1963 | 1 July 1969 | 6 years, 181 days | United States Army |
| 6 | Goodpaster, AndrewGeneral Andrew Goodpaster (1915–2005) | 1 July 1969 | 15 December 1974 | 5 years, 167 days | United States Army |
| 7 | Haig, AlexanderGeneral Alexander M. Haig Jr. (1924–2010) | 15 December 1974 | 1 July 1979 | 4 years, 198 days | United States Army |
| 8 | Rogers, BernardGeneral Bernard W. Rogers (1921–2008) | 1 July 1979 | 26 June 1987 | 7 years, 360 days | United States Army |
| 9 | Galvin, JohnGeneral John Galvin (1929–2015) | 26 June 1987 | 23 June 1992 | 4 years, 363 days | United States Army |
| 10 | Shalikashvili, JohnGeneral John Shalikashvili (1936–2011) | 23 June 1992 | 22 October 1993 | 1 year, 121 days | United States Army |
| 11 | Joulwan, GeorgeGeneral George Joulwan (born 1939) | 22 October 1993 | 11 July 1997 | 3 years, 262 days | United States Army |
| 12 | Clark, WesleyGeneral Wesley Clark (born 1944) | 11 July 1997 | 3 May 2000 | 2 years, 297 days | United States Army |
| 13 | Ralston, JosephGeneral Joseph Ralston (born 1943) | 3 May 2000 | 17 January 2003 | 2 years, 259 days | United States Air Force |
| 14 | Jones, JamesGeneral James L. Jones (born 1943) | 17 January 2003 | 7 December 2006 | 3 years, 324 days | United States Marine Corps |
| 15 | Craddock, BantzGeneral Bantz J. Craddock (born 1949) | 7 December 2006 | 2 July 2009 | 2 years, 207 days | United States Army |
| 16 | Stavridis, JamesAdmiral James G. Stavridis (born 1955) | 2 July 2009 | 13 May 2013 | 3 years, 315 days | United States Navy |
| 17 | Breedlove, PhilipGeneral Philip M. Breedlove (born 1955) | 13 May 2013 | 4 May 2016 | 2 years, 357 days | United States Air Force |
| 18 | Scaparrotti, CurtisGeneral Curtis Scaparrotti (born 1956) | 4 May 2016 | 3 May 2019 | 2 years, 364 days | United States Army |
| 19 | Wolters, Tod D.General Tod D. Wolters (born 1960) | 3 May 2019 | 4 July 2022 | 3 years, 62 days | United States Air Force |
| 20 | Cavoli, Christopher G.General Christopher G. Cavoli (born c. 1965) | 4 July 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 253 days | United States Army |

## Deputy

The position of Deputy Supreme Allied Command Europe (DSACEUR) has been known as Deputy Head of Allied Command Operations since 2003. From January 1978 until June 1993 there were two DSACEURs, one British and one German. From July 1993 this reverted to a single DSACEUR. With a small number of exceptions who were German military officers, DSACEUR is normally a British military officer. The officeholders have been as follows:
Single DSACEUR (April 1951 - January 1978)
| No. | Deputy Supreme Allied Commander | Start of term | End of term | Branch | Unit of Commission |
| 1. | Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG GCB DSO PC DL | 2 April 1951 | 23 September 1958 | British Army | Royal Warwickshire Regiment |
| 2. | General Sir Richard Gale, GCB KBE DSO MC | 23 September 1958 | 22 September 1960 | British Army | Worcestershire Regiment |
| 3. | General Sir Hugh Stockwell, GCB KBE DSO* | 22 September 1960 | 1 January 1964 | British Army | Royal Welch Fusiliers |
| 4. | Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Pike, GCB CBE DFC* DL | 1 January 1964 | 1 March 1967 | Royal Air Force | N/A |
| 5. | General Sir Robert Bray, GCB KBE DSO* | 1 March 1967 | 1 December 1970 | British Army | Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment |
| 6. | General Sir Desmond Fitzpatrick, GCB GCVO DSO MBE MC | 1 December 1970 | 12 November 1973 | British Army | 1st The Royal Dragoons |
| 7. | General Sir John Mogg, GCB CBE DSO* | 12 November 1973 | 12 March 1976 | British Army | Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry |
| 8. | General Sir Harry Tuzo, GCB OBE MC DL | 12 March 1976 | 3 January 1978 (As solo DSACEUR) | British Army | Royal Artillery |
Two DSACEURs (January 1978 until June 1993)
| British | British | British | British | British | British | | | German | German | German | German | German | German |
| No. | Portrait | Deputy Supreme Allied Commander | Term | Branch | Unit of Commission | Start of term | End of term | No. | Portrait | Deputy Supreme Allied Commander | Term | Branch | |
| 8. | | General Sir Harry Tuzo, GCB OBE MC DL | 3 January 1978 - 2 November 1978 (As Co-DSACEUR) | British Army | Royal Artillery | 3 January 1978 | 2 November 1978 | 9. | | General Gerd Schmückle | 3 January 1978 - 1 April 1980 | German Army | - |
| 10. | | General Sir Jack Harman, GCB OBE MC | 2 November 1978 - 9 April 1981 | British Army | 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) | 2 November 1978 | 1 April 1980 | 9. | | General Gerd Schmückle | 3 January 1978 - 1 April 1980 | German Army | - |
| 10. | | General Sir Jack Harman, GCB OBE MC | 2 November 1978 - 9 April 1981 | British Army | 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) | 1 April 1980 | 9 April 1981 | 11. | | Admiral Günter Luther | 1 April 1980 - 1 April 1982 | German Navy | Naval aviation |
| 12. | | Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, GCB AFC | 9 April 1981 - 16 July 1984 | Royal Air Force | Royal Air Force Regiment (anti-aircraft artillery) | 9 April 1981 | 1 April 1982 | 11. | | Admiral Günter Luther | 1 April 1980 - 1 April 1982 | German Navy | Naval aviation |
| 12. | | Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, GCB AFC | 9 April 1981 - 16 July 1984 | Royal Air Force | Royal Air Force Regiment (anti-aircraft artillery) | 1 April 1982 | 2 April 1984 | 13. | | General Günter Kießling | 1 April 1982 | German Army | |
| 12. | | Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, GCB AFC | 9 April 1981 - 16 July 1984 | Royal Air Force | Royal Air Force Regiment (anti-aircraft artillery) | 2 April 1984 | 16 July 1984 | 14. | | General Hans-Joachim Mack | 2 April 1984 - 1 October 1987 | German Army | |
| 15. | | General Sir Edward Burgess, KCB OBE | 16 July 1984 | British Army | Royal Artillery | 16 July 1984 | 26 June 1987 | 14. | | General Hans-Joachim Mack | 2 April 1984 - 1 October 1987 | German Army | |
| 16. | | General Sir John Akehurst, KCB CBE | 26 June 1987 - 17 January 1990 | British Army | Northamptonshire Regiment | 26 June 1987 | 1 October 1987 | 14. | | General Hans-Joachim Mack | 2 April 1984 - 1 October 1987 | German Army | |
| 16. | | General Sir John Akehurst, KCB CBE | 26 June 1987 - 17 January 1990 | British Army | Northamptonshire Regiment | 1 October 1987 | 17 January 1990 | 17. | | General Eberhard Eimler | 1 October 1987 - 2 October 1990 | German Air Force | N/A |
| 18. | | General Sir Brian Kenny, GCB CBE | 17 January 1990 - 5 April 1993 | British Army | 4th Queen's Own Hussars | 17 January 1990 | 2 October 1990 | 17. | | General Eberhard Eimler | 1 October 1987 - 2 October 1990 | German Air Force | N/A |
| 18. | | General Sir Brian Kenny, GCB CBE | 17 January 1990 - 5 April 1993 | British Army | 4th Queen's Own Hussars | 2 October 1990 | 5 April 1993 | 19. | | General Dieter Clauss | 2 October 1990 - 1 July 1993 | German Army | - |
| 20. | | General Sir John Waters, GCB CBE | 5 April 1993 - 1 July 1993 (As Co-DSACEUR) | British Army | Gloucestershire Regiment | 5 April 1993 | 1 July 1993 | 19. | | General Dieter Clauss | 2 October 1990 - 1 July 1993 | German Army | - |
Single DSACEUR (July 1993 – present)
| No. | Deputy Supreme Allied Commander | Start of term | End of term | Branch | Unit of Commission |
| 20. | General Sir John Waters, GCB CBE | 1 July 1993 (As solo DSACEUR) | 12 December 1994 | British Army | Gloucestershire Regiment |
| 21. | General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie, GCB OBE DL | 12 December 1994 | 30 November 1998 | British Army | Queen's Own Highlanders |
| 22. | General Sir Rupert Smith, KCB DSO* OBE QGM | 30 November 1998 | 17 September 2001 | British Army | Parachute Regiment |
| 23. | General Dieter Stöckmann | 17 September 2001 | 18 September 2002 | German Army | Panzergrenadier |
| 24. | Admiral Rainer Feist | 18 September 2002 | 1 October 2004 | German Navy | N/A |
| 25. | General Sir John Reith, KCB CBE | 1 October 2004 | 22 October 2007 | British Army | Parachute Regiment |
| 26. | General Sir John McColl, KCB CBE DSO KStJ | 22 October 2007 | March 2011 | British Army | Royal Anglian Regiment |
| 27. | General Sir Richard Shirreff, KCB CBE | March 2011 | March 2014 | British Army | 14th/20th King's Hussars |
| 28. | General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, KCB OBE | March 2014 | March 2017 | British Army | 14th/20th King's Hussars |
| 29. | General Sir James Everard, KCB CBE | March 2017 | April 2020 | British Army | 17th/21st Lancers |
| 30. | General Sir Tim Radford, KCB DSO OBE | April 2020 | July 2023 | British Army | The Light Infantry |
| 31. | Admiral Sir Keith Blount, KCB OBE FRAeS | July 2023 | Incumbent | Royal Navy | Fleet Air Arm |

## Role in intra-European defence integration
### DSACEUR's role in European Union missions

Under the 2002 Berlin Plus agreement, SHAPE may take part in the European Union's (EU) command and control structure as an operational headquarters (OHQ) for EU missions. In such an instance, the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), who is always a European, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr). This use of SHAPE by the EU is subject to a "right of first refusal", i.e. NATO must first decline to intervene in a given crisis, and is contingent upon unanimous approval among NATO states, including those outside of the EU.