Striedinger rises – ex-GECKO general now Austria’s highest army

Striedinger, 60, is currently Deputy Chief of Staff and Head of State for COVID Crisis Coordination (GECKO).

Striedinger became known to a wider audience when he repeatedly appeared in camouflage at press conferences, which was sometimes interpreted as being too martial and met with criticism.

Striedinger now succeeds Robert Brieger – the previous chief of staff was fired on May 6. He becomes head of the EU Military Committee (EUMC). A total of 11 candidates were in the running for the highest position in the Austrian Armed Forces – seven of them were considered suitable by the evaluation committee.

From military commander to chief of staff
Striedinger (60) can look back on a solid career in national defense: born in Wiener Neustadt, he was appointed head of the General Staff Department in 2002. From 2011 to 2016 he was military commander of Lower Austria. In March 2016, Striedinger was appointed head of the Defense Bureau by then Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ). In January 2020, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) appointed him her chief of staff. He has been deputy chief of staff since the summer of 2021. Striedinger gained experience abroad as commander of a multinational brigade at EUFOR/ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Criticism of appearance at ÖVP event
Politically, Striedinger is not entirely spotless – at least according to the opposition. Last year, in a parliamentary question, the NEOS wanted to know why, as head of the counterintelligence service, he participated in an event with then-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Manfred Weber, the top candidate of the European People’s Party, and wore his uniform. There was also criticism of a decree – later withdrawn – intended to ban “unsolicited public expressions of opinion by members of the department”.

Enjoyed Holy Masses Abroad
Privately, little is known about Striedinger. However, religion is likely to play an important role in the life of the married father of six, as one of his publications deals with his “experiences of a commander with a military rectory in a foreign assignment”. In it he writes: “A very special experience for me personally was the holy masses that were celebrated every Saturday afternoon at Camp Eagle Base for the Austrian contingent. For me, this always gave me the opportunity to step away from day-to-day operations and experience a bit of home in the operational area, at least for a period of time.”