# Andrus Merilo

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> Source revision: 1355854044
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{{Short description|Estonian army officer (born 1973)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix    =
| name                = Andrus Merilo
| honorific_suffix    = 
| image               = Andrus Merilo 2024 (cropped).jpg
| image_upright       = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = 
| birth_name          = 
| nickname            = 
| office              = [Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces](/source/Commander_of_the_Estonian_Defence_Forces)
| term_start          = 1 July 2024
| term_end            = 
| leader              = 
| president           = [Alar Karis](/source/Alar_Karis)
| predecessor         = [Martin Herem](/source/Martin_Herem)
| successor           = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1973|6|2|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [Tallinn](/source/Tallinn), [Estonian SSR](/source/Estonian_SSR), Soviet Union
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| placeofburial       = 
| placeofburial_label = 
| allegiance          = {{flag|Estonia}}
| branch              = {{flagicon image|Kvyldlipp.svg}} [Estonian Defence Forces](/source/Estonian_Defence_Forces)
| branch_label        = 
| service_years       = 1995–present
| service_years_label = 
| rank                = 23px [Lieutenant General](/source/Lieutenant_General)
| rank_label          = 
| servicenumber       = 
| unit                = 
| commands            = {{Plainlist|
* [Scouts Battalion](/source/Scouts_Battalion)
* [1st Infantry Brigade](/source/1st_Infantry_Brigade_(Estonia))
}}
| battles             = [UNIFIL](/source/United_Nations_Interim_Force_in_Lebanon)<br/>[KFOR](/source/Kosovo_Force)<br/>[Iraq War](/source/Iraq_War)<br/>[War in Afghanistan](/source/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001%E2%80%932021))
| battles_label       = 
| mawards             = [See: Awards, decorations, and recognition](/source/Andrus_Merilo)
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
| relations           =  
}}
'''Andrus Merilo''' (born 2 June 1973) is an Estonian [General](/source/General) and current [Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces](/source/Commander_of_the_Estonian_Defence_Forces) since 2024.<ref>https://mil.ee/uudised/kindralmajor-andrus-merilo-vottis-ule-kaitsevae-juhtimise/</ref>

In 2005 he was the commander of ESTPLA-10 in Iraq. In 2007 he was the commander of ESTCOY-4 in Afghanistan.

Merilo commanded the [Scouts Battalion](/source/Scouts_Battalion) from 2013 to 2016. Since June 2021, he commanded the [1st Infantry Brigade](/source/1st_Infantry_Brigade_(Estonia)).

==Effective dates of promotion==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Promotions
! Insignia !! Rank !! Date
|-
||20px||[Ensign](/source/Ensign_(rank))||16 July 1999<ref>{{cite web|title=Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/91572|access-date=30 August 2024}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Sub-lieutenant](/source/Sub-lieutenant)||3 June 2002<ref>{{cite web|title=18. Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://vp2001-2006.president.ee/et/ametitegevus/k2skkirjad.php?gid=17931|access-date=30 August 2024|date=3 June 2002|archive-date=8 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208124016/https://vp2001-2006.president.ee/et/ametitegevus/k2skkirjad.php?gid=17931|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant)||12 June 2003<ref>{{cite web|title=59. Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://vp2001-2006.president.ee/et/ametitegevus/k2skkirjad.php?gid=34916|access-date=30 August 2024|date=12 June 2003|archive-date=8 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208124017/https://vp2001-2006.president.ee/et/ametitegevus/k2skkirjad.php?gid=34916|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Captain](/source/Captain_(armed_forces))||3 October 2006<ref>{{cite web|title=149. Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://president.ee/et/ametitegevus/kaskkirjad/48313-149-sojavaeliste-auastmete-andmine|access-date=30 August 2024|date=3 October 2006}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Major](/source/Major_(rank))||9 February 2010<ref>{{cite web|title=Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/13275367|work=Riigi Teataja|access-date=30 August 2024|date=9 February 2010}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Lieutenant colonel](/source/Lieutenant_colonel)||16 February 2015<ref>{{cite web|title=81. Sõjaväeliste auastmete andmine|url=https://vp2006-2016.president.ee/et/ametitegevus/kaeskkirjad/11088-2015-02-16-10-24-06/index.html|access-date=30 August 2024|date=16 February 2015}}{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-

||20px||[Colonel](/source/Colonel)||18 February 2020<ref>{{cite web|title=President andis ohvitseridele uued auastmed, Igor Schvedest sai kontradmiral|url=https://www.postimees.ee/6903117/president-andis-ohvitseridele-uued-auastmed-igor-schvedest-sai-kontradmiral|access-date=30 August 2024|date=18 February 2020}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Brigadier General](/source/Brigadier_General)||23 February 2024<ref>{{cite web|title=Galerii: president andis Andrus Merilole brigaadikindrali auastme|url=https://www.err.ee/1609262292/galerii-president-andis-andrus-merilole-brigaadikindrali-auastme|access-date=30 August 2024|date=23 February 2024}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Major General](/source/Major_General)||19 June 2024<ref>{{cite web|title=GALERII ⟩ President Alar Karis andis Andrus Merilole üle kindralmajori auastme|url=https://www.postimees.ee/8044165/galerii-president-alar-karis-andis-andrus-merilole-ule-kindralmajori-auastme|access-date=30 August 2024|date=19 June 2024}}</ref>
|-
||20px||[Lieutenant General](/source/Lieutenant_General)||20 June 2025<ref>{{cite web|title=103. Sõjaväelise auastme andmine|url=https://president.ee/et/ametitegevus/kaskkirjad/57334-103-sojavaelise-auastme-andmine|access-date=20 June 2025|date=20 June 2025}}</ref>
|}

==Awards, decorations and recognition==

===Decorations and badges===

{| class="wikitable"
|-  style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=3 |'''Estonian Awards and decorations'''
|-
|106px || [5th Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle](/source/Order_of_the_Cross_of_the_Eagle) (with swords) || 6 February 2006
|-
|106px || Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence (III class) ||
|-
|106px || Distinguished Service Decoration of the EDF (for battle merit) || 6 May 2005
|-
|106px || Cross for the Exemplary Service of the Estonian Defence Forces || 
|-
|106px || Gold Cross of the Officer of Land Forces ||
|-
|106px || Silver Cross of the Officer of Land Forces ||
|-
|106px || Estonian Defence Forces General Staff Cross of Merit ||
|-
|106px || MoD Medal of Participants in International Military Operations ||
|-
|106px || Estonian Defence Forces Long Service Medal ||
|-
|106px || Merit Medal of the Defence League Special Class || 20 September 2023<ref>{{cite web|title=Merit Medal of the Defence League Special Class|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=700231598797695&id=100064325846536&set=a.457215289765995&locale=et_EE|work=1. jalaväebrigaad 1st Infantry Brigade|access-date=29 October 2025}}</ref>
|-
|106px || Memorial Medal "10 Years of the Re-Established Defence Forces" ||
|-
|106px || Distinguished Service Decoration of the Peace Operations Centre ||
|- bgcolor = "#ccccff" align=center
| colspan=3 |'''Foreign Awards'''
|-
|106px || [National Defence Medal](/source/National_Defence_Medal) (gold grade) with bar || 28 May 2024 (France)<ref>{{cite web|title=French National Defence Medal|url=https://x.com/Kaitsevagi/status/1796202409905344952|work=Estonian Defence Forces|access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref>
|-
|106px || [1st Class Commander of the White Rose of Finland](/source/Order_of_the_White_Rose_of_Finland) || 27 May 2024 (Finland)<ref>{{cite web|title=1st Class Commander of the White Rose of Finland|url=https://president.ee/et/teenetemargid/valisriigi-antud-teenetemargid/56077-andrus-merilooome|work=Office of the President|access-date=1 March 2024}}</ref>
|-
|106px || [NATO Medal for ISAF](/source/NATO_Medal) ||
|-
|106px || [NATO Medal for KFOR](/source/Kosovo_Force) ||
|-
|106px || [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Medal](/source/United_Nations_Interim_Force_in_Lebanon) ||
|-
|106px || [National Service Medal (Army)](/source/National_Service_Medal_(Norway)) || (Norway)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor = "#ccccff" align=center
| colspan=2 |'''Badges'''
|-
|106px ||  Badge of the Estonian Scouts Battalion
|-
|106px ||  Badge of the Estonian 1st Infantry Brigade
|-
|106px ||  The badge of the Finnish reserve officer course
|-
|106px ||  United States Army Command and General Staff College International Graduate Badge
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[Martin Herem](/source/Martin_Herem)}} 
{{s-ttl|title=[Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces](/source/Commander_of_the_Estonian_Defence_Forces)|years=2024-present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merilo, Andrus}}
Category:Living people
Category:1973 births
Category:Estonian major generals
Category:Estonian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

{{Estonia-mil-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Andrus Merilo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrus_Merilo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrus_Merilo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.