Brigadier General David Cruzille

Commanding General French Army Aviation

Brigadier General David Cruzille was born on July 10th, 1969 in Charlieu (Loire region). After graduating from the Saint-Cyr French Military Academy (class of 89-92 « Capitaine Hamacek »), he chose to serve as an Army Aviation officer.

On completion to the basic helicopter pilot course in Dax and the helicopter patrol leader course in Le Luc-en-Provence (92- 94), he was posted to the 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment in Etain. He was deployed as an attack helicopter patrol leader in former Yugoslavia and participated in the experimentation of the new GAZELLE VIVIANE system. Promoted to captain, he was chosen to assume the command of an Attack Helicopter Squadron in 1998.

In 2000, he was appointed to the 4th Airmobile Brigade HQ in Nancy as executive officer. He was deployed to Op LICORNE in Cote d’Ivoire within the Joint Task Force Headquarters. Promoted to major, he was selected to follow the Joint Command and Staff Course and the War College in Paris.

After being promoted to lieutenant colonel, he returned to the 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment in Etain as chief of operations and instruction. He was deployed to Cote d’Ivoire as the second in command of the Aviation task Force of Op LICORNE.

After being posted to the Army HQ in Paris, he joined the Army Personnel Directorate as deputy and later became head of the NCO Affairs Section within the Human Resources Policy Bureau. In 2011, he was assigned to the Defense Personnel Directorate at the Ministry of Defense.

In 2013, on promotion to colonel, he was designated to command the 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment in Etain up to 2015. He was deployed twice to Mali at the head of the regiment in Op SERVAL and Op BARKHANE.

After his command phase, he returned to Paris to the Army HQ as deputy head of the General Organisation Bureau. Then he was appointed back to the Army Personnel Directorate in Tours as head of the Senior Staff Officers Bureau, more particularly in charge of the management of the War College graduated officers within both the French and foreign headquarters.

In 2021, he was posted to Villacoublay as the second in command of the Army Aviation and was promoted to brigadier general. In 2022, he took command of the Army Aviation Branch School.

In 2024, he took the command of the French Army Aviation in Villacoublay.

Brigadier General David Cruzille is married and has three children.