General information
Parliamentary group:
Committee:
Electoral district:
E-mail:
Phone:
+372 631 6475
Seniority in days:
2721
Date of birth:
14.11.1967
Place of birth:
Kliima village, Põlva County
Family:
Married, three children
Education:
Estonian Institute of Humanities and University of Helsinki, history and philosophy 1989–1991;
National Defence University of Finland, Master of Military Sciences 2001
National Defence University of Finland, Master of Military Sciences 2001
Career:
conscript service in the Soviet Army;
Estonian Defence League, Tallinn District, Platoon Commander, Company Commander and Chief of Staff 1990–1992;
Defence Forces: Defence Forces Combat School, Instruction Division Commander and School Commander 1994–1997, Estonian National Defence College, Officers’ School, Commander 1997–1999, Joint Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces, Operations Department, Deputy Commander, Acting Commander and Commander 2001–2007;
U.S. Army, 1st Armored Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team Staff, Operations Department, service in Iraq 2005;
reservist as of 2007, freelance writer
Estonian Defence League, Tallinn District, Platoon Commander, Company Commander and Chief of Staff 1990–1992;
Defence Forces: Defence Forces Combat School, Instruction Division Commander and School Commander 1994–1997, Estonian National Defence College, Officers’ School, Commander 1997–1999, Joint Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces, Operations Department, Deputy Commander, Acting Commander and Commander 2001–2007;
U.S. Army, 1st Armored Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team Staff, Operations Department, service in Iraq 2005;
reservist as of 2007, freelance writer
Party affiliation:
unaffiliated
Membership in representative bodies:
14th and 15th Riigikogu (Deputy Chair of National Defence Committee 2021–)
Awards:
Order of the Cross of the Eagle, 4th Class 1997;
Bronze Star Medal of the United States of America 2005;
14 orders and badges of honour in total;
Annual Award of the Estonian literary journal “Looming” 1991, 2nd prize in Estonian novel writing competition 2000, Betti Alver Literary Award 2002, Bernard Kangro Award for Literature 2009, Stalker Award for Science Fiction 2009, 2010 and 2011
Bronze Star Medal of the United States of America 2005;
14 orders and badges of honour in total;
Annual Award of the Estonian literary journal “Looming” 1991, 2nd prize in Estonian novel writing competition 2000, Betti Alver Literary Award 2002, Bernard Kangro Award for Literature 2009, Stalker Award for Science Fiction 2009, 2010 and 2011
Ranks:
Ensign 1992, Second Lieutenant 1994, First Lieutenant 1995, Captain 1997, Major 1999, Lieutenant Colonel 2003
Other activities:
defence industry company Milrem, Supervisory Board 2013–2018;
non-fiction books: “Viiv pikas sõjas. Märkmeid Iraagi sõjast” (“A Moment in the Long War. Notes on the Iraq War”) 2006, “Takerdunud rünnak. Eesti riigikaitse võtmeprobleemid ja lahendused” (“A Tangled Attack. The Key Problems and Solutions of the Estonian National Defence”) 2008, “Ukraina häirekell. Takerdunud rünnak II” (“The Ukrainian Alarm Bell. A Tangled Attack II”) 2014, “Hüüdja hääl. Takerdunud rünnak I–III” (“A Voice in the Wilderness. A Tangled Attack I–III”) 2023, and fiction: novels “Kustumatu valguse maailm” (“The World of Undying Light”) 1991, “Sõdurjumala teener” (“Servant of the Soldier God”) 2001 (in Finnish 2004), “Gort Ashryn” I–III 2008–2010, “Sõda 2023” (“War 2023”) 2016;
feature film “1944” scriptwriter and military consultant 2015
non-fiction books: “Viiv pikas sõjas. Märkmeid Iraagi sõjast” (“A Moment in the Long War. Notes on the Iraq War”) 2006, “Takerdunud rünnak. Eesti riigikaitse võtmeprobleemid ja lahendused” (“A Tangled Attack. The Key Problems and Solutions of the Estonian National Defence”) 2008, “Ukraina häirekell. Takerdunud rünnak II” (“The Ukrainian Alarm Bell. A Tangled Attack II”) 2014, “Hüüdja hääl. Takerdunud rünnak I–III” (“A Voice in the Wilderness. A Tangled Attack I–III”) 2023, and fiction: novels “Kustumatu valguse maailm” (“The World of Undying Light”) 1991, “Sõdurjumala teener” (“Servant of the Soldier God”) 2001 (in Finnish 2004), “Gort Ashryn” I–III 2008–2010, “Sõda 2023” (“War 2023”) 2016;
feature film “1944” scriptwriter and military consultant 2015
Hobbies:
literature, history