Lieutenant General Gaetano Zauner

Deputy Chief of Staff Italian Army

Lieutenant General Gaetano ZAUNER was born in Palermo on March 17th, 1962. In 1981, after achieving a high school diploma at the “Marie Curie” Scientific Institute, he attended the 163rd Military Academy Course in MODENA. He continued his studies at the Junior Army Officer School in TURIN, and was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of the Infantry Branch. He attended both the 120th Staff Officer Course (1997), the 4th Advanced Joint Staff Officer Course (1998) and the US Army War College (2006).

From 7th July 2011 to 29th September 2013 he served as the 56th Commander of the 132nd “Ariete” Armoured Brigade.

On 30th September 2013, he was appointed Deputy Chief, General and Financial Planning Division of the Army General Staff.

On 21st May 2015 he was appointed Chief Army Transformation Department of the Army General Staff whilst maintaining the assignments of Deputy Chief General and Financial Planning Division.

On 4th August 2015, he took office as Chief General and Financial Planning Division.

On 7th September 2016 he was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Italian Joint Operations Headquarters.

On 3rd October 2019 he took on the role of Deputy Commander to the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps– Turkey (NRDC-T) in Istanbul.

On the 30th august 2021 he was appointed as Army Deputy Chief of Staff.