General Jörg Vollmer assumed command of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum on 22 April 2020. He is one of three operational-level commanders in the NATO Command Structure, reports directly to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and is primarily responsible for the security of the Alliance in Northern Europe, NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and NATO’s Response Force NRF 2020.
After joining the German Armed Forces in 1978 and completing his basic officer training, General Vollmer graduated in Economics and Organizational Sciences at the University of the German Armed Forces, in Hamburg. In 1983 he attended Staff College at Hamburg. Later, following attendance at the School of Advanced Military Studies in Leavenworth (USA), from 2001 to 2002, he became a Fellow in Advanced Operational Art.
General Vollmer has been privileged to hold a broad range of command positions. These include Commander Mechanized Infantry Brigade 37 in Frankenberg (2006-2010), Commander Specialized Operations Division in Stadtallendorf (2011-2014), and Commander Field Army / Vice Chief of the German Army (2014-2015) in Strausberg.
However, General Vollmer is no stranger to NATO. From October 2010 he served as Chief of Staff of the 1st German/Netherlands Corps, in Münster, for a year. His command portfolio is further enhanced by two deployments as Commander ISAF Regional Command North, in Afghanistan, between 2009 and 2013.
General Vollmer served as Chief of the German Army from 2015 to 2020. He assumed command of the German Army at a time of paradigm shift and laid the foundation for a modern army. A refocus on collective defence while simultaneously fulfilling missions abroad in a credible, reliable and professional manner, will remain associated with his name. He developed and executed critical new policies and plans in the areas of personnel, materiel, training and structure – these significant adjustments included the digitization of land forces.
His key staff assignments include Assistant Director (Operations and Intelligence) at the Armed Forces Office, Bonn, as well as Branch Chief “Army Concepts” (2004-2006) in the Army Staff at the Federal Ministry of Defence, also in Bonn (2002-2004).
General Vollmer is married to Anette.