Maurice Schmitt

Promoted to Colonel in 1974, then Général de brigade in 1979, he became Chief of Staff of the French Army in 1985, then Chef d'état-major des Armées in 1987 responsible for French forces during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. He was replaced by Admiral Jacques Lanxade on 23 April 1991.

In 1990, he was elevated to the dignity of Grand-Cross of the Légion d'honneur and became Governor of Les Invalides in 1991, until 1996.

Knight Order of the Order of the Légion d'honneur at 25, he became a military instructor at the infantry application school until September 1956, he was then assigned to the 3rd Colonial Parachute Regiment (3 RPC) in North Africa where he commanded a combat support company from 1958 until October 1959. In 1959, he was made an Officer of the Order of the Légion d'honneur at 29.

Designated to serve in the Far East in January 1953, he was assigned to the 4th Colonial Artillery Regiment 4 RAC, then the North-West Operational Artillery Group (GONO), the designated name of the garrison of Dien Bien Phu. During the subsequent battle, he was taken as a prisoner of war on 7 May 1954. He was released on 2 September 1954.

He entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in October 1948. After attending a course at the artillery school, he was assigned to the 1st Colonial Artillery Regiment (1 RAC), Troupes coloniales (known as Troupes de marine since 1958), whose barracks was at Melun.

Maurice Schmitt (born 23 January 1930 at Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône), is a French general and chief of the general staff headquarters of the Armies (CEMA) from 16 November 1987 until 23 April 1991. He was then appointed as Governor of Les Invalides until 1996.