Schilling is set to attain the distinction of being the inaugural three-star general within the Bundeswehr.
Since 1993, Nicole Schilling has been a part of the German Military. With her recent shift to the Department of Readiness and Support for Deployments, she also gets a promotion. At 50 years old, she'll now hold a three-star position.
Previously, Schilling was the second-in-command in the Defense Ministry's personnel department. She's set to make history as the first female three-star general in the German Military. The change takes effect today, as confirmed by a Defense Ministry spokesperson, though the precise date of her promotion remains unclear.
However, Schilling won't fully take on her new role until the end of the year. Her former boss, Oda Döring, wrote in a letter that the decision was made rather quickly, leaving Schilling with a few tasks to finish in the personnel department.
Schilling entered the German Military in 1993 and has been a two-star general and medical officer since 2022. She currently holds the highest rank among female soldiers in the German Military, although Almut Nolte also got a two-star promotion today. Before joining the Defense Ministry's personnel department in June of this year, Schilling served as vice-president and permanent representative of the president of the German Military's Personal Management Office in Cologne.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Eva Högl, applauded the decision to promote Schilling. She noted that such careers inspire and show that "women can succeed in the German Military." Högl also called for more female leaders across all military branches, expressing her desire "to see more battalion commanders, in the army, air force, and navy."
The German Military has a long-standing tradition of male leadership, but with Schilling's promotion, she will become the first female three-star general. Despite facing a sudden shift in roles, Schilling continues to serve in the Military, fulfilling her remaining tasks in the personnel department before fully transitioning into her new position as a three-star general.
