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Hans Jesper Helsø | |
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Helsø at his retirement party in 2008
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| Born | (1948-07-09) 9 July 1948 (age 75)[1] Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Allegiance |  Denmark |
| Service/ |  Royal Danish Army |
| Years of service | 1968-2008 (40 years)[2] |
| Rank | General |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog |
Hans Jesper Helsø (born July 9, 1948), is a former Danish Chief of Defence.[3]
Helsø served his conscription in 1968 and initially became sergeant and officer of the reserve. In 1974 he becomes lieutenant and served the following four years at King's Artillery Regiment.[2] In 1982-83 he is - as a captain - at the General Staff Course in the United States. In 1990 he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel and come back to the artillery as Head of Department for a few years. After a short staff service at the Army Operational Command, he became Head of the King's Artillery Regiment between 1994 and 1996.[2] In 2000-02, he is Chief of the Army Operational Command, and then Chief of Operations and Planning Staffs until his appointment as Chief of Defence. In August 2008 Helsø reached the army's age-limit and was replaced by Tim Sloth Jørgensen.[1]
His service has been supplemented with a few international missions; first in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1979 and then UNPROFOR in the Balkans in 1995.[2]
In 2002 - a few months before planned - Helsø had to step in as Chief of Defence as a result of Christian Hvidt's early resignation. His period as Chief of Defence is marked by the Defence moving from being a mobilization defense to be a conscription based professional defense, in which overseas missions form a significant part of the effort. The planning of this change occurred in the Defence's own management and is described in the episode K-notatet in the TV series Magtens Billeder.
After his time as Chief of Defense Helsø engaged in organizations related to the military, including as a member of Soldier Scholarship Award Committee and on the board of the YMCA Soldiers Mission.
Helsø is married and has four children.[1]
| Other Accoutrements | |
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Parachutist Badge |
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Pistol Badge Badge (Gold) |
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Rifle Badge (Gold) |
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Sub-machine Gun Badge (Silver) |
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Light Machine Gun Badge (Silver) |
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Combat Swimming Skill Badge (Silver) |
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First Aid Skill Badge (Bronze) |
| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chief of Defence 2002-2008 |
Succeeded by |
| International |
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| National |
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