Teofilus Shaende

Air Vice Marshal Teofilus Shaende is a Namibian military officer who is serving as the Commander of the Namibian Air Force, he previously served as the deputy commander Namibian Air Force.
Civilian career.
After completing his high School at the Dr. Lemmer High School Shaende took employment with the Ministry of Finance as a taxation Officer. He resigned to join the military in 1999 as a recruit.
Military career.
Shaende joined Namibian Defence Force as a recruit in 1999 and undertook his six months long basic military training at the Osona Military School. After completion he did his Private Pilots License at the West Air Flying Training Centre in the same year receiving his pilots wings. In 2001 he undertook the formative Junior Officers Course in Okahandja at the military school. In 2003 he then went to Zambia where he did the Conversion and Operation flying course with the Zambian Air Force. In 2004 he did the Qualified Flying Instructor Course (QFI)with Zambian Air Force.
In 2005 he was a Captain and appointed as second in Command of 23 Squadron, whilst in 2006 he was sent to China in preparation of Namibia's purchase of the F7-FT7 jet aircraft from Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and did the FT-7 & F-7 Aircraft Ground School Training. In 2008 he received a diploma of Training in FT & F7 Flying Course in Namibia after qualifying on the F-7/FT-7 fighter jets, while in 2009 he did the K-8 Instructor Training. In February 2010 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Appointed as Air Defence Wing Commanding Officer during the commissioning of the F7 and FT7 fighter Aircraft at Grootfontein Air Force Base. Afterwards he was promoted to Group Captain following the reorganization of air force ranks and appointed as Chief of Staff Air Operations & Training at the Air Force Headquarters. In 2016 after the deployment to Indiaas Defence Attache of Air Commodore Paavo Kamanya he was promoted to Air Commodore and appointed as Deputy air Force Commander. On the first of April 2020 he was promoted to Air Vice Marshal and appointed as Air Force Commander.