François Lecointre
François Gérard Marie Lecointre (; born 6 February 1962) is a French army general who served as Chief of the Defence Staff between 2017 and 2021. As a captain, with Lieutenant Bruno Heluin (platoon leader) as the company commanding officer, he led an assault at the Battle of Vrbanja Bridge in 1995 that was the last fixed bayonet charge of the French Armed Forces. Biography François Lecointre was born on 6 February 1962 in Cherbourg into a military family. His father, Yves Urbain Marie Lecointre (5 April 1932 – 1985), was a French naval officer and submariner who served as the commandant of SNLE Le Redoutable. One of his uncles, Hélie de Roffignac, was a cavalry officer who died in Algeria at the age of 23. Military career Lecointre attended preparatory classes at the Prytanée National Militaire in La Flèche. He subsequently studied at the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr (Promotion Général Monclar) from 1984 to 1987 and then at the Infantry School from 1987 to 1988. Lecointre joined the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment, where he served from 1988 to 1991. Lecointre was promoted from lieutenant to captain in the marine infantry on 1 July 1991. From 1993 to 1996,