Armed Forces General Staff (Portugal)

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Armed Forces General Staff
Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas
Military flag of Portugal.svg
Military Standard of Portugal
Active1950–1974 (SGDN);
1974–present (EMGFA)
CountryPortugal
BranchArmed forces
TypeMilitary staff
Part ofPortuguese Armed Forces
HeadquartersLisbon
Motto(s)Que quem quis sempre pôde
("Who wills aye finds a way", from The Lusiads, Canto IX, 95, v. 6)
EngagementsAnnexation of Goa
Portuguese Colonial War
IFOR
SFOR
EUFOR
KFOR
Afghanistan War
Peacekeaping missions
Angola
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
North Macedonia
Western Sahara
Georgia
Lebanon
Websitewww.emgfa.pt
Commanders
Current ChiefAdmiral António da Silva Ribeiro
Insignia
AbbreviationEMGFA

The Armed Forces General Staff (Portuguese: Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas), or EMGFA, is the supreme military body of Portugal. It is responsible for the planning, command and control of the Portuguese Armed Forces.

EMGFA is headed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas) or CEMGFA, the highest rank of general in the Portuguese Armed Forces.

History[]

The present Armed Forces General Staff was created in 1950, as the Secretariat-General of National Defence (Portuguese: Secretariado-Geral da Defesa Nacional) or SGDN. The SGDN was the central planning organization of the Defense, being headed by the Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, under the dependency of the minister of National Defense (both roles also being created at the same time). Besides having the role of secretary-general of the SGDN, the CEMGFA also assumed most of the responsibilities until then assigned to the military heads of the Navy and of the Army (the then existing service branches, as the Air Force would only be created in 1952). The creation of the SGDN and of the roles of CEMGFA and minister of National Defense marked the integration of the several military service branches and so the creation of the Armed Forces of Portugal as a single organization.

In 1969, it was decreed that SGDN should be remodeled in order to be transformed into the EMGFA, as the organization for the joint administration of the Armed Forces. However, transformation of the SGDN into the EMGFA occurred only in 1974.

Organization[]

The Armed Forces General Staff is integrated into the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence and includes:

  • The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA)
  • The Joint Staff (EMC, Estado-Maior Conjunto)
  • The Joint Operational Command (COC, Comando Operacional Conjunto)
  • The operational commands of the Azores and Madeira
  • The commanders-in-chief that can be created under the CEMGFA, in times of war
  • The Military Security and Information Center (CISMIL, Centro de Informações e Segurança Militares)
  • The general support organizations

Under the dependency of the CEMGFA are also:

The Chief of the General Staff[]

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces is the operational commander of the Portuguese Armed Forces in times of peace. In times of war, he assumes the complete command of the Armed Forces. The CEMGFA is a general officer of one of the three branches of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force), appointed by the President of Portugal, by proposal of the Government of Portugal.

List of chiefs of the General Staff[]

No. Portrait Chief Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch Ref
1
Aníbal César Valdez de Passos e Sousa [pt]
de Passos e Sousa, Aníbal César ValdêsArmy General
 [pt]
(1884–1954)		5 August 19506 December 19511 year, 123 days Portuguese Army–
2
Manuel Ortins de Bettencourt [pt]
de Bettencourt, Manuel OrtinsRear admiral
 [pt]
(1892–1969)		12 December 19519 February 19553 years, 59 days Portuguese Navy–
3
Júlio Botelho Moniz
Moniz, Júlio BotelhoArmy General
Júlio Botelho Moniz
(1900–1979)		3 March 195513 August 19583 years, 163 days Portuguese Army–
4
José António da Rocha Beleza Ferraz
Ferraz, José António da Rocha BelezaArmy General
José António da Rocha Beleza Ferraz
(1901–?)		22 August 195812 April 19612 years, 233 days Portuguese Army–
5
Manuel Gomes de Araújo [pt]
de Araújo, Manuel GomesArmy General
 [pt]
(1897–1982)		13 April 19613 December 19621 year, 234 days Portuguese Army–
6
Venâncio Augusto Deslandes [pt]
Deslandes, Venâncio AugustoAir Force General
 [pt]
(1909–1985)		16 August 19684 September 19724 years, 19 days Portuguese Air Force–
7
Francisco da Costa Gomes
Gomes, Francisco da CostaArmy General
Francisco da Costa Gomes
(1914–2001)
[a]		5 September 197213 March 19741 year, 189 days Portuguese Army–
8
Joaquim da Luz Cunha [pt]
Cunha, Joaquim da LuzArmy General
 [pt]
(1914–?)
[b]		19 March 197428 April 197440 days Portuguese Army–
(7)
Francisco da Costa Gomes
Gomes, Francisco da CostaArmy General
Francisco da Costa Gomes
(1914–2001)
[c]		29 April 197413 July 19762 years, 75 days Portuguese Army–
9
António Ramalho Eanes
Eanes, António RamalhoArmy General
António Ramalho Eanes
(born 1935)
[d]		14 July 197616 February 19814 years, 217 days Portuguese Army–
10
Nuno Viriato Tavares de Melo Egídio
de Melo Egídio, Nuno Viriato TavaresArmy General
Nuno Viriato Tavares de Melo Egídio
(1922–2011)		17 February 198118 February 19843 years, 1 day Portuguese Army–
11
José Lemos Ferreira [pt]
Ferreira, José LemosAir Force General
 [pt]
(1929–2020)		1 March 19848 March 19895 years, 7 days Portuguese Air Force–
12
António Soares Carneiro
Carneiro, António SoaresArmy General
António Soares Carneiro
(1928–2014)		29 March 198925 January 19944 years, 302 days Portuguese Army–
13
António Carlos Fuzeta da Ponte [pt]
da Ponte, António Carlos FuzetaAdmiral
 [pt]
(born 1935)		21 February 19949 March 19984 years, 16 days Portuguese Navy–
14
Gabriel Augusto do Espírito Santo [pt]
Santo, Gabriel Augusto do EspíritoArmy General
 [pt]
(1936–2014)		17 March 19988 August 20002 years, 144 days Portuguese Army–
15
Manuel José Alvarenga de Sousa Santos [pt]
Santos, Manuel José Alvarenga de SousaAir Force General
 [pt]
(born 1940)		12 August 200023 August 20022 years, 11 days Portuguese Air Force–
16
José Manuel Garcia Mendes Cabeçadas [pt]
Cabeçadas, José Manuel Garcia MendesAdmiral
 [pt]
(born 1943)		4 November 20025 December 20064 years, 31 days Portuguese Navy–
17
Luís Valença Pinto [pt]
Pinto, Luís ValençaArmy General
 [pt]
(born 1946)		5 December 20064 February 20114 years, 61 days Portuguese Army–
18
Luís Evangelista Esteves Araújo
Araújo, Luís Evangelista EstevesAir Force General
Luís Evangelista Esteves Araújo
(born 1949)		7 February 20117 February 20143 years, 0 days Portuguese Air Force–
19
Artur Neves Pina Monteiro [pt]
Monteiro, Artur Neves PinaArmy General
 [pt]
(born 1952)		7 February 20141 March 20184 years, 22 days Portuguese Army–
20
António Manuel Fernandes da Silva Ribeiro
Ribeiro, António Manuel Fernandes da SilvaAdmiral
António Manuel Fernandes da Silva Ribeiro
(born 1957)		1 March 2018Incumbent3 years, 193 days Portuguese Navy–

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Dismissed because of refusal to swear loyalty to the Prime Minister Marcello Caetano in a public ceremony
  2. ^ Dismissed following the Carnation Revolution
  3. ^ Simultaneously served as President of the National Salvation Junta (30 September 1974 – 14 March 1975), 15th President of Portugal (30 September 1974 – 13 July 1976) and President of the Revolutionary Council (14 March 1975 – 13 July 1976)
  4. ^ Simultaneously served as 16th President of Portugal (14 July 1976 – 9 March 1986) and President of the Revolutionary Council (14 July 1976 – 30 September 1982)

References[]

  • RIBEIRO, António S., Organização Superior da Defesa Nacional, Prefácio, 2004

External links[]

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