Egon Ramms
Encyclopedia
Egon Ramms is a retired German general who held numerous international commands. Ramms is a father of two.
His last assignment was commander of NATO's Joint Force Command in Brunssum
, the Netherlands. As such, he oversaw all allied operations in Central/ Northern Europe and Afghanistan
.
Ramms joined the German Army in 1968, eventually becoming an officer candidate. From 1971 to 1975, he studied engineering
at the renowned Darmstadt University of Technology
and specialized in tank
engineering. Afterwards he held numerous commands in maintenance
units and became the G4 officer (logistics) of the German Army's 3rd Amoured
Division
. Subsequently he attended the German general staff officer course in Hamburg
. In 1982, he was made G3 officer (operations) of the 6th Mechanized Infantry
Division. Later on, he served as the G3 officer and chief of staff of the Home Defense
Brigade
51. An assignment to the German military's office for arms control and disarmament followed. Ramms was made battalion
commander of Maintenance Battalion 120 in 1988 and returned to the Ministry of Defence
in 1990. For the next six years, he was assigned to numerous posts responsible for procurement and logistics. Promoted to brigadier general
, he took command over Logistics Brigade 1 until 1998 when he was made Assistant Chief of Staff, Armed Forces Staff V (Logistics, Infrastructure and Environmental Protection). From 2000 to 2004, Ramms was the head of the German Armed Forces Staff at the headquarters in Bonn
.
He assumed command over the Szczecin
-based Multinational Corps Northeast in 2004, a post he held for the next two years. In 2007, Ramms was made commanding general, Joint Force Command Brunssum. He was one of only three German four-star-generals. In September 2010, on the day of his retirement, he was awarded the Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan medal from President Karzai of Afghanistan.
His last assignment was commander of NATO's Joint Force Command in Brunssum
Brunssum
Brunssum is a municipality and a town in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands. Brunssum was formerly a center of coal mining in the Netherlands and there are a few active mines remaining in the area...
, the Netherlands. As such, he oversaw all allied operations in Central/ Northern Europe and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Ramms joined the German Army in 1968, eventually becoming an officer candidate. From 1971 to 1975, he studied engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
at the renowned Darmstadt University of Technology
Darmstadt University of Technology
The Technische Universität Darmstadt, abbreviated TU Darmstadt, is a university in the city of Darmstadt, Germany...
and specialized in tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
engineering. Afterwards he held numerous commands in maintenance
Military logistics
Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:...
units and became the G4 officer (logistics) of the German Army's 3rd Amoured
Armoured warfare
Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
. Subsequently he attended the German general staff officer course in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. In 1982, he was made G3 officer (operations) of the 6th Mechanized Infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
Division. Later on, he served as the G3 officer and chief of staff of the Home Defense
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
51. An assignment to the German military's office for arms control and disarmament followed. Ramms was made battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
commander of Maintenance Battalion 120 in 1988 and returned to the Ministry of Defence
Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of Defence is a top-level federal agency, headed by the Federal Minister of Defence as a member of the Cabinet of Germany...
in 1990. For the next six years, he was assigned to numerous posts responsible for procurement and logistics. Promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, he took command over Logistics Brigade 1 until 1998 when he was made Assistant Chief of Staff, Armed Forces Staff V (Logistics, Infrastructure and Environmental Protection). From 2000 to 2004, Ramms was the head of the German Armed Forces Staff at the headquarters in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
He assumed command over the Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
-based Multinational Corps Northeast in 2004, a post he held for the next two years. In 2007, Ramms was made commanding general, Joint Force Command Brunssum. He was one of only three German four-star-generals. In September 2010, on the day of his retirement, he was awarded the Ghazi Mir Bacha Khan medal from President Karzai of Afghanistan.