Col Gunther Godefridis

Colonel Gunther GODEFRIDIS was born in Leuven on 13 July 1974. In 1993, he entered the Royal Military Academy where he graduated with the 148th promotion in polytechnics (civil engineering), specialising in electro-mechanics. After completing his basic training in field artillery and anti-aircraft artillery at the Artillery School in Brasschaat, he joined the 2nd Artillery Regiment in Helchteren in 1999. In 2002, he successfully completed the Field Artillery Captain's Career Course at Fort Sill, United States, receiving the prestigious Master Gunner Award. Upon his return to Belgium, he started working at the artillery study and research facility at Brasschaat until 2008. Here he developed a new set of procedures that changed the Belgian artillery profoundly and that are still in use today. During this period, he had several active roles within FINABEL, a European tactical think tank.

After his advanced staff course at the Royal Higher Institute of Defence, the Belgian Defence sent him to COMOPSLAND G3 Training as his next assignment in 2009. During this assignment, he spearheaded the use of non-lethal weapons in the Belgian landforces and the establishment of Close Range Techniques. From 2012 until 2014, he received the opportunity to take part in an exchange program for officers between Belgium and the United States. As part of this exchange program, he fulfilled the role of Training and Operations Officers of the 1-76 Field Artillery Battalion and Fire Support Officer of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia, USA.

After a short period at COMOPSLAND, where he took part in the development of the transformation of the Belgian landforces, the Belgian Defence designated him as the Aide-de-Camp to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe at SHAPE, Bergen, Belgium in 2015. In this role, he had the privilege of serving under (USA) General Philippe M. BREEDLOVE from 2015 to 2016 and (USA) General Curtis M. SCAPARROTTI from 2016 to 2017. In 2016, he obtained a master's degree in business affairs, specialising in HR management and strategy, from the Faculty of Warocqué d'Economie et de Gestion at UMONS.

In 2017, he obtained a master’s degree in political and military sciences through the higher staff course at the Royal Higher Institute of Defence and received an award for his efforts as the leader of the 132nd Division. He joined the Department of Strategy, Division of Integrated Capability Management, National Armament Directorate in 2018. Here he focused his work mainly on two pillars: innovation and artificial intelligence within the Belgian Defence and military capability development within the European Defence Agency with European partners and within the Belgian federal ministry of economy with Belgian industry. In 2019, the Session Européenne des Responsables d'Armements, Paris, accepted him as a member of the 31st Promotion. 02 October 2020, he took over command of the Motorized Brigade Headquarters. After completing the Leadership in Security policy Course (LISC), session 2022 - 2023, at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Switzerland, he joined the Belgian Cyber Command on 03 May 2023 as the Director for Development & Readiness.

In 2005, he participated in EUFOR Democratic Republic of Congo as Assistant Chief Joint Operation Center of the Operation Headquarters in Potsdam, Germany. In 2012 he participated at ISAF mission as a CJ35 Manoeuvre & Fires planner at the Headquarters Regional Command - South in Kandahar, Afghanistan. 
He is the recipient of several foreign military honours including the European Common Security and Defence Policy Service medal, the US Bronze Star and the US Joint Service Award.