Colonel General Trajche Krstevski
He was born on December 3, 1938 in the village Buzalkovo, Veles, Republic of Macedonia to mother Rodna and father Jovan. He was married and a father of two children.
After completing his primary education, he finished high school, after which he continued at the Military Academy of the Land Forces of the YNA and finished it in 1961. He graduated from the Senior Military Academy in 1974 and he completed the National Defense School in 1980.
He was produced into Second Lieutenant in 1961 and to the rank of Lieutenant in 1964. He received an early promotion into the rank of Captain in 1966, to the rank of Captain first class in 1969, to the rank of Major in 1974, to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1978, and to the rank of Colonel in 1984. He was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1990, to the rank of Lieutenant General in 1995 and to the rank of Colonel General in 1997.
In his professional career as an officer of the YNA, he served in the garrisons: Sinj (1961-1964), Benkovac (1964-1970), Tetovo (1970-1972), Belgrade (1972-1974), Shtip (1974-1983), Skopje (1983-1985), Bitola (1985-1987) and Rijeka (1987-1991), and after the formation of the ARM, he continued his service in Skopje garrison (1991-2000). During his service, he carried out several duties:
- Platoon Commander (1961-1964);
- Company Commander (1964-1972);
- Battalion Commander (1974-1976);
- Partisan Division Commander (1976-1979);
- Operations Chief in Infantry Division (1980-1983);
- Brigade Commander (1983-1985);
- Chief of Division (1985-1987);
- Head of Corps (1987-1992);
- Deputy Chief of General Staff of the ARM (1992-1996);
- Chief of General Staff of the ARM (1996-2000).
For his professional commitment throughout his career as a senior military officer and for his efforts in leading and commanding part of the army structures, both in the YNA and the ARM, especially during its early days, he received numerous awards, and inter alia, he was decorated with:
- Order of Brotherhood and Unity with Silver Crown;
- Order of the National Army with Golden Star;
- Order of Military Merit with Golden Swords;
- Order of the National Army with Silver Star;
- Order of Military Merit with Silver Swords;
- Medal for 20 years YNA;
- Medal for 30 years YNA;
- Medal for 30 years of the victory over fascism;
- Medal for 40 years YNA;
- Medal “UNICEF” for members of the YNA during the Suez war in Egypt.
He is the author of expert-specialist papers: “Infantry Division in Defense,” which was also his graduation thesis at THE Command Staff Academy and “Problems of command and management on operational and strategic level “,”Corps in Defense”, all of them created for a Command Staff Exercise.
He retired in 2000.