The top of his military career came just before the Operation Storm, when he succeeded Janko Bobetko in the position of Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. He served as Chief of General Staff from 15 July 1995 until 16 November 1996. During his command, the Croatian Army executed the most successful operation of the war, Operation Storm. President Tuđman replaced him in November 1996. He later became a member of the Chamber of Counties of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) on the electoral list of the Croatian Democratic Union. Beginning in 2000 he served as a member of the Amnesty Commission.