General (ret) K. Bartels, born in 1952, joined the Danish Army in 1972 as a private. He has attended the Royal Danish Military Academy, the Royal Danish Defence College, l´École Supérieure de Guerre in Paris and the US Army War College in Carlisle. He has commanded company, battalion, brigade and division and has served in higher staff positions nationally and in NATO Headquarters.
General (ret) K. Bartels was Chief of Defence Denmark in 2009-2011 and Chairman NATO Military Committee 2012-2015. He retired in 2015 and became Adjunct Professor in military history at the Royal Danish Defence College.
General (ret) K. Bartels is married to Mrs. Inge Vansteenkiste and they have their home in Belgium.