Raivis Melnis

Raivis Melnis

Minister for Defence
E-mail: pasts [at] mod.gov.lv
  • EDUCATION
    • 2012–2013 – King’s College London, United Kingdom, Master of Arts in Military Studies
    • 2012–2013 – Chartered Management Institute (CMI), United Kingdom, Level 7 Diploma in Management and Leadership
    • 1996–2000 – National Defence Academy of Latvia, Bachelor’s Degree in Pedagogy
  • ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
    • 2012–2013 – UK Defence Academy
    • 2012 – General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy, Lithuania
    • 2007 – Hungarian Defence Forces Centre for Civil-Military Cooperation and Psychological Operations
    • 2007 – Language School, National Armed Forces
    • 2007 – NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
    • 2003–2004 – National Defence Academy of Latvia
    • 2003–2004 – British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT), Lithuania 1996–2000 – National Defence Academy of Latvia, Commanders’ Course
  • WORK EXPERIENCE
    • 2026–present – Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Military Cooperation Issues
    • 2025 – Defence Adviser of the Ministry of Defence at the Embassy of Latvia in Ukraine; Commander of the Latvian National Contingent in Ukraine
    • 2024–2025 – Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Planning, Joint Staff of the National Armed Forces 
    • 2022–2024 – Chief of the J3/5/7 Operations and Planning Department, Joint Staff of the National Armed Forces
    • 2019–2022 – Long-term operational planning, operational analysis and assessment at the Joint Headquarters of the United Kingdom Armed Forces and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Headquarters
    • 2018–2019 – Commander, Baltic Battalion
    • 2015–2019 – Commander, 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Land Forces
    • 2013–2015 – Chief of the Operations Planning and Training Section, Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Land Forces
    • 2008–2011 – Chief of the Operations Planning Section, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Land Forces
  • INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS
    • 2010 – ISAF Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan
    • 2008 – ISAF Civil-Military Cooperation Officer in Afghanistan
  • AWARDS
    • 2021 – Commendation of the Director General, Joint Force Development and Defence Academy, United Kingdom
    • 2017 – Order of Viesturs of the Republic of Latvia
    • 2010 – NATO Non-Article 5 Medal
    • 2010 – Norwegian Armed Forces Medal
    • 2008 – National Armed Forces Commander's Award "For Merit", 3rd Class
    • 2008 – Medal of the Commander of the National Armed Forces

  • LANGUAGE SKILLS
    • Latvian – native; Russian – fluent; English – NATO STANAG 6001 Level 2+/2/2/2+; Farsi/Dari – elementary; French – elementary