Martin Herem

Martin Herem (born 17 December 1973) is an Estonian General and was the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces from 2018 to 2024.^[1][2]

Martin Herem
General Martin Herem in 2019
Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces
In office 5 December 2018 – 30 June 2024
President	Kersti Kaljulaid Alar Karis
Preceded by	Riho Terras
Succeeded by	Andrus Merilo
Personal details
Born	(1973-12-17) 17 December 1973 (age 51) Tallinn, Estonia
Military service
Allegiance	Estonia
Branch/service	Estonian Defence Forces
Years of service	1992–2024
Rank	General
Commands	Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces Estonian National Defence College Northeast Defense District
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	See: Awards, decorations, and recognition

Herem entered into service in 1992. From 2013 to 2016 he served as the Commandant of the Estonian National Defence College and from 2016 to 2018 Chief of Staff of the Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces.^[3] Herem was one of the re-founding members of the paramilitary Estonian Defence League in 1990.^[4]

On 24 January 2023, Martin Herem was promoted to the rank of general.^[5]

Herem became the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces in December 2018. His tenure was extended for another two years in October 2022, in the interests of stability in the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[6] On 16 January 2024, Herem announced his plan to step down from the post in the summer of 2024, calling the situation stable enough for the change of leadership, which it might not be in the end of his tenure in two years time.^[2]

Military career

• 09.1992–06.1996 Estonian National Defence College, cadet
• 07.1996–02.1998 Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion, Platoon Leader
• 02.1998–07.1998 Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion, Company Executive Officer
• 07.1998–11.1998 Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion, S3 Staff Officer
• 11.1998–01.2000 Tartu Single Infantry Battalion, S3 Staff Officer
• 01.2000–07.2000 Tartu Single Infantry Battalion, S3 Staff Commander
• 07.2000–07.2001 Tartu Single Infantry Battalion, Staff Commander
• 08.2002–08.2003 Estonian National Defence College, Instructor of the Tactics Department
• 09.2003–02.2006 Estonian National Defence College, Head of the Tactics Department
• 02.2006–06.2006 Operation Iraqi Freedom II training mission Senior Staff Officer with US brigade
• 06.2006–04.2007 Estonian National Defence College, Head of the Tactics Department
• 04.2007–05.2008 Tapa Training Center, Staff Commander
• 06.2008–07.2012 North-Eastern Defence Command, Commander
• 07.2012–08.2013 Estonian National Defence College, Deputy Commander
• 08.2013–07.2016 Estonian National Defence College, Commandant
• 07.2016–12.2018 Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces, Chief of Staff
• 12.2018–06.2024 Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces

Awards, decorations, and recognition

Decorations and badges

Estonian Awards and decorations
	1st Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle	23 February 2024
	2nd Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle	21 February 2018
	Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence (III class)
	Distinguished Service Decoration of the EDF	16 February 2007
	Order of Merit of the Estonian Defence Forces
	Cross for the Exemplary Service of the Estonian Defence Forces	21 February 2005
	Gold Cross of the Officer of Land Forces
	MoD Medal of Participants in International Military Operations
	Merit Medal of the Defence League Special Class
	Memorial Medal "10 Years of the Re-Established Defence Forces"
	Distinguished Service Decoration of the Eastern Prefecture
	Silver Cross of the Rescue Board	10 February 2011
	Estonian Defence League School Cross of Merit
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (special)	17 December 2020
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (gold)	29 November 2019
	Cross of the Estonian Reserve Officers’ Assembly (silver)	17 May 2016
	Former Estonian Forest Brothers Association Service Cross III class
Foreign Awards
	1st Class of the Order of Viesturs	24 April 2023 (Latvia)[7]
	Order of Merit (Second Class)	4 November 2022 (Ukraine)[8]
	Commandeur of the National Order of the Legion of Honour	11 November 2021 (France)[9]
	Bronze Star Medal	(United States)

Badges
	Combat Action Badge (United States)
	Baltic Defence College Higher Command Studies Course graduate Badge
	Baltic Defence College Joint Command and General Staff Course graduate Badge
	Estonian National Defence College Advanced Officer Training Course Badge
	The Order of Merit of Kuperjanov Battalion

Personal life

Martin Herem is married and has a son and two daughters.^[10] He is one of the grandchildren of Harri Moora.^[11] One of his hobbies is marathon running. He has participated in the organisation of the Järvakandi marathon.^[12] He is fluent in English and Russian as foreign languages. He is also one of the re-establishers of the Estonian Defence League in Rapla.^[4]