Steve Thull (born 23 April 1967) is a Luxembourg Army general who has served as Luxembourg's Chief of Defence (the professional head of the country's military) since 29 September 2020. In this role, he serves as Chief of Staff of the Army and holds the rank of general.
Early Life and Education
Thull was born on 23 April 1967 in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. In 1987, he successfully passed the selection for officer candidates and entered the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, Belgium, graduating in social and military sciences in 1991.
Military Career
Thull began his service with the Luxembourg Army in 1985. After completing officer training, he joined as a lieutenant on 1 October 1991. In his early career, he served as a mortar platoon leader, anti-tank platoon leader, and scout platoon leader. He later served as a Personnel officer and Deputy Commander at the Military Center.
Thull participated in NATO's Operation IFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997 and the European Union's Operation EUFOR in Chad and the Central African Republic in 2008.
He succeeded General Alain Duschène as Chief of Defence on 29 September 2020 and was promoted to the rank of general at that time.
Tenure as Chief of Defence
As Chief of Defence, Thull has overseen Luxembourg's military operations and has been an advocate for greater European defence autonomy. He has called for a paradigm shift towards increased European defence readiness and reduced reliance on the United States for security. He has also addressed challenges facing the Luxembourg Army, including adapting to modern work-life balance demands and transitioning toward cyber defence capabilities.
Thull announced his intention to retire on 1 October 2026, at which point he will have served more than 39 years, including six years as head of the institution.
