Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurchinovski was born in 1970 in Tetovo. After completing primary education in his hometown, he continued his military education at a military high school in Sarajevo and the Military Academy in Sarajevo and Belgrade. After completing higher military education, he began his military career from the very beginning of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia and the formation of the Army, as a platoon commander in the Military Police. During his military career, he has held several command and staff duties, including the highest military representative of the NATO and EU Permanent Mission to Brussels, and since 18 August 2018 has been appointed Chief of Army General Staff by Decree of the President.
He has upgraded his military education with postgraduate studies (CJSC, United States of America, Kansas) in 2001-2002 and during 2012-2013, Higher Defence Studies at the Armed Forces of the Republic of Italy in Rome. He has completed several courses in the field of special operations at home and abroad, United Nations Peacekeeping Courses, Public Relations, Military Terminology, Combined Joint Task Forces and others. He participated in several military exercises of special units and land forces units at home and abroad, and during 2008-2009 participated in the United Nations mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL. Over the course of his career, he has been rewarded and praised many times. He actively uses English and Italian. Married and father of two children.
Previous duties:
Commander of the Counter-Terrorism Platoon in the Military Police, Skopje, 1992-1994;
Deputy Commander of the Counter-Terrorist Company, 1994;
Commander of the Counter-Terrorist Company, 1995-1998;
Deputy Special Forces Battalion Commander, 1998-2000;
Chief of S-3 in command of special units, 2002-2003;
Commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion, 2003;
Chief of S-5 in command of the SOR, 2004;
Commander of 1st Battalion in MIBR, Tetovo, 2004-2007;
Head of Training and Exercises in G-3 of JOC 3, Kumanovo, 2007-2010;
Commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade in JOC, Kumanovo, 2010-2011;
Adjutant to the President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, March 2011 – 18.08.2013;
SOR Commander from 18.08.2013 – 18.08.2015;
Commander of the Joint Operational Command, August 2015 – December 2016;
Military Representative of the Permanent Mission to NATO and EU in Brussels, December 2016 – August 2018;