Lieutenant General Luis Lanchares was born in Madrid in 1960. He joined the Officers Military Academy (Zaragoza) in 1980, and was commissioned, as an Infantry Lieutenant, in 1985.
His military career has been primarily characterized by service in Army combat units. These include: the 3rd Para Battalion "Ortiz de Zarate" as a Platoon Leader; Chief of the Intelligence Unit in the HQs of the Para Brigade "Almogavares VI;" Chief of Operations in the 2nd Para Battalion "Roger de Lauria;" Chief of Staff of the Para Brigade "Almogavares VI;" and, Commander of the 4th Legion Regiment "Alejandro Farnesio" in Ronda (Malaga).
As a Staff Officer, he has served in the ESP Rapid Reaction Division HQs (Operations Branch) and in the Operations Division of the Army Staff (Army Situation Centre).
In addition, he has completed appointments in the Cabinet of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Spanish Army, specifically in the team responsible for the Infrastructure Rationalization Plan of the MoD, in the Defence Policy Directorate (Plans and International Relations), and in the Training and Doctrine Command.
Of note, General Lanchares is a former Commandant of the Officers Military Academy. His last assignment was that of Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Enablement in the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, in Belgium.
Throughout his career the General has served in numerous UN and NATO operations: UNAVEM II (Angola) as a Team Leader and Operations officer in the Mission HQ in Luanda; UNIFIL (Lebanon) as the Chief of Staff of Multinational Brigade East; KFOR (Kosovo) as Deputy Chief Plans of the Multinational Brigade West, in Pec; and ISAF (Afghanistan) as the Plans Chief in the Regional Command West, in Herat.
General Lanchares is fluent in English. He graduated from the LII Course of Higher International Studies provided by the International Studies Society (Madrid) and has a Masters Degree in Peace, Security and Defence from the National Distance Education University (UNED).
Lieutenant General Lanchares took up his current appointment, that of Deputy Commander JFC Brunssum, with effect Friday 03 December 2021.
He is married and has three children.