Editing Namibian Defence Force (section)

==Organization and structure==
The Chief Of Defence Force is the highest-ranking officer and exercises overall executive command of the force. Service chiefs are two-star [[general officer]]s, [[air officer]]s and [[flag officer]]s in command of their respective arms of service. NDF directorates are led by one-star general officers, air officers and flag officers. The exception, however, is the Joint Operations Directorate, whose head is a major general. The Joint Operations Directorate is responsible for force deployment in the Military.

[[File:Namibian Defence Force Structure.jpeg|800px|border]]
*Chief of Defence Force: Air Marshal [[Martin Pinehas]]<ref name="mod.gov.na">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mod.gov.na/pages/ministry_structures.html |title=Ministry of Defence |access-date=12 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923134858/http://www.mod.gov.na/pages/ministry_structures.html |archive-date=23 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
**Army Commander: Major-General [[Aktofel Nambahu]]
**Air Force Commander: Air Vice Marshal [[Teofilus Shaende]]<ref name="absent"/>
**Navy Commander: Rear Admiral [[Sacheus !Gonteb]]
***Chief of Staff; [[Joint Operations Directorate (Namibia)|Joint Operations]]: Maj Gen Joshua Namhindo<ref name="mod.gov.na"/>
***Chief of Staff; [[Human Resources Directorate (Namibia)|Human Resources]]: Air Cdre Retoveni Muhenje
***Chief of Staff; [[Defence Intelligence Directorate (Namibia)|Defence Intelligence]]: 
***Chief of Staff; [[Defence Health Services (Namibia)|Defence Health Services]]: Brig Gen Dr.  Ndapandula Jacob
***Chief of Staff; [[Defence Information & Communication Technology Directorate (Namibia)|Information & Communication Technology]]:
***Chief of Staff; [[Defence Logistics Directorate (Namibia)|Logistics]]: 
***Chief of Staff; [[Defence Inspectorate (Namibia)|Defence Inspector General]]:

===Chief of Defence Force===
[[File:Namibian Marines manning a boat.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Marines on an interceptor]]
[[File:Namibian Navy Members.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Navy servicemen and servicewoman]]
The [[Chief of the Defence Force (Namibia)]] is always a commissioned [[Lieutenant General|three star]] General/Air/Flag Officer from the officer corps. The first chief of the NDF was Lieutenant-General [[Dimo Hamaambo]]. He was previously the leader of PLAN. Lieutenant-General [[Solomon Huwala]] replaced Hamaambo as Chief of the NDF on Hamaambo's retirement. After Lieutenant-General Huwala retired in October 2006, Lieutenant General [[Martin Shalli]] headed the NDF.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120909233521/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?db=oldarchive&articleid=13677 "Shalli New NDF Chief"], ''New Era'', 23 October 2006.</ref>

President Hifikepunye Pohamba suspended Lieutenant-General Shalli from his post as Chief of Defence Force in 2009 over corruption allegations, dating back to the time when Shalli served as Namibia's High Commissioner to Zambia.<ref>http://www.observer.com.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=339:shalli-in-case-of-mistaken-identity&catid=1:national {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023054706/http://www.observer.com.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=339:shalli-in-case-of-mistaken-identity&catid=1:national |date=23 October 2010 }}, 21 October 2010</ref> During the time of the suspension, Army Commander Major General [[Peter Nambundunga]] acted as Chief.<ref>{{cite news
|title=President Pohamba fires Lieutenant-General Martin Shalli as Chief of NDF
|publisher=[[Namibian Broadcasting Corporation]]
|date=20 January 2011
|url=http://www.nbc.com.na/article.php?id=5056
|access-date=25 January 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720142304/http://www.nbc.com.na/article.php?id=5056
|archive-date=20 July 2011
|url-status=dead
}}</ref> Shalli eventually retired in January 2011; the post of Chief of the NDF was given to Lieutenant General [[Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah]].<ref name=Hails>{{cite news
 |title        = NDF hails new chief
 |last         = Ndjebela
 |first        = Toivo
 |newspaper    = [[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
 |date         = 25 January 2011
 |url          = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=37027
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20130111234516/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=37027
 |archive-date = 11 January 2013
 |url-status   = dead
 |access-date  = 25 January 2011
 }}</ref> Lieutenant Gen Ndaitwah served until 31 December 2013 when the NDF Chief's position was given to Lieutenant Gen John Mutwa.<ref name="absent"/>

*1990–2000 Lieutenant-General [[Dimo Hamaambo]], [[Namibian Army]].
*2000–2006 Lieutenant-General [[Solomon Huwala]], [[Namibian Army]].
*2006–2011 Lieutenant-General [[Martin Shalli]], [[Namibian Army]].
*2011–2013 Lieutenant-General [[Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah]], [[Namibian Army]].
*2013–2020 Lieutenant-General [[John Mutwa]], [[Namibian Army]].
*2020 – ''Incumbent'' Air Marshal [[Martin Pinehas]], [[Namibian Air Force]].

===NDF Sergeant Major===
[[File:Namibian Special Forces on a Agrale Marrua.png|thumb|right|150px|Special Forces on a drive past]]
NDF Sergeant Major is the highest appointment a Non-Commissioned Officer may receive. Duties of the NDF Sergeant Major include making sure that discipline, drills, dressing code, performance standards, and morale of the non-commissioned officers are maintained.<ref name="Shishiveni 12">{{cite journal |last=Shishiveni|first=e |title=Farewell to NDF Sergeant Major |journal=NDF Journal |volume=64 |date=December 2017|page=12}}</ref>

Previous Sergeant Majors are:
*1990–1997 WO1 retired K. Lossen, [[Namibian Army]]
*1997–2000 Late WO1 retired A.H. Vatileni, [[Namibian Army]]
*2000–2007 WO1 retired E.K. Mutota, [[Namibian Army]]
*2007–2011 WO1 retired D.J. Angolo, [[Namibian Navy]]
*2011–2017 WO1 retired Isak Nankela, [[Namibian Air Force]]
*2017–2018 WO1 Albert Siyaya, [[Namibian Air Force]]<ref name="Shishiveni 12"/>
*2018–2019 WO1 Leonard Iiyambo, [[Namibian Army]]
*2019– Incumbent WO1 Joseph Nembungu, [[Namibian Air Force]]<ref>https://www.facebook.com/MODNamibia {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

===Joint Operations Directorate===
[[File:Namibian Air Force - Harbin Y12-II.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Harbin Y-12]]
The [[Joint Operations Directorate (Namibia)|Joint Operations Directorate]] is the only directorate headed by a two-star Flag/Air/General Officer. Its role is to coordinate and conduct combined Operations and implement plans and doctrines in the force. The first Director of Operation in 1990 was Brigadier General Martin Shalli.

===Defence Health Services===

The Force's [[Defence Health Services (Namibia)|Defence Health Services]] provides medical services to service personnel, it operates sick bays at all bases and units as well the military hospitals.

===Logistics Directorate===
The [[Defence Logistics Directorate (Namibia)|Logistics Directorate]] is responsible for supplying material to the force. The first Director for Logistics was Colonel [[Peter Nambundunga]]

===Defence Inspectorate===
[[File:Namibian Air Force F7 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|150px|F-7 Fighter Jet]]
The [[Defence Inspectorate (Namibia)|Defence Inspector General]]'s Directorate is responsible for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of the Force. It also investigates both internal and external complaints.

===Namibian Defence Force ranks===
NDF ranks are based on the Commonwealth rank structure. There is no approved four-star general rank in the NDF. The Chief of Defence Force is a singular appointment that comes with an elevation to the rank of lieutenant general for an Army officer, air marshal for an Air Force officer and vice admiral for a Navy officer. Arms of services commanders i.e. Army, Air Force and Navy commanders, have the rank of major general, air vice marshal and rear admiral. The rank of brigadier has also been transformed into brigadier general. Directorate heads are always brigadier generals, i.e. the Chief of Staff for Defence Intelligence.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Army
! Air Force
! Navy
|-
|-
! General officers
! Air officers
! Flag officers
|-
| Lieutenant general
| Air marshal
| Vice admiral
|-

| Major General
| Air Vice Marshal
| Rear Admiral
|-
| Brigadier General
| Air Commodore
| Rear Admiral (Junior Grade)
|-
! Senior Officers
! Senior Officers
! Senior Officers
|-
| Colonel
| Group captain
| Captain (navy)
|-
| Lieutenant colonel
| Wing commander
| Commander
|-
| Major
| Squadron leader
| Lieutenant commander
|-
! Junior officers
! Junior officers
! Junior officers
|-
| Captain
| Flight lieutenant 
| Lieutenant (navy) 
|-
| Lieutenant 
| Flying officer
| Lieutenant (junior grade)
|-
| 2nd lieutenant 
| Pilot officer
| Ensign
|-
! Warrant officers
! Warrant officers
! Warrant officers
|-
| Warrant officer 1
| Warrant officer 1
| Warrant officer 1
|-
| Warrant officer 2
| Warrant officer 2
| Warrant officer 2
|-
! Senior NCOs
! Senior NCOs
! Senior NCOs
|-
| Staff sergeant 
| Flight sergeant 
| Chief petty officer
|-
| Sergeant 
| Sergeant 
| Petty officer

|-
! Junior NCOs
! Junior NCOs
! Junior NCOs
|-
| Corporal
| Aircraftman
| Leading seaman
|-
| Lance corporal
| Leading aircraftman
| Able seaman
|-
|-
! Enlisted
! Enlisted
! Enlisted
|-
| Private
| Private
| Seaman
|-

|}
'''Warrant Officer Class 1 Appointments'''<ref>http://www.sis.unam.na/theses/alueendo2009.pdf{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><br />
Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts, including
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Army
! Air Force
! Navy
|-
|-

| Sergeant Major of the Namibian Defence Force
| Sergeant Major of the Namibian Defence Force
| Sergeant Major of the Namibian Defence Force
|-
| Sergeant Major of the Army
| Sergeant Major of the Air Force
| Master-at-Arms of the Navy
|-
| Formation Sergeant Major
| Formation Sergeant Major
| Command Master-at-Arms
|-

| Regimental Sergeant Major
| Regimental Sergeant Major
| Master-at-Arms
|-
|}