Bernt Östh

Major General Bernt Nils Sune Östh (born 20 December 1936) was a Swedish Air Force officer. Östh served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1990 to 1994 and as chief of the Joint Staff (Gemensamma staben) at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters from 1994 to 1997.

Early life Östh was born on 20 December 1936 in Värnamo Parish, Jönköping County, Sweden, the son of Martin Östh and his wife Astrid (née Willstrand). He passed studentexamen in 1956.

Career Östh was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Air Force in 1959 with the rank of second lieutenant. He served as a combat control officer at Norrbotten Wing (F 21) from 1959 to 1964 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1961, and served in the Air Staff from 1964 to 1965. Östh attended the Stridsledningslinjen ("Combat Control Program")

He was head of the Operations Department in the Air Staff from 1977 to 1980 when he was promoted to colonel. In 1979, Östh attended the Swedish National Defence College. He was then head of the Study and Research Coordination in the Central Planning Unit (Enheten för centralplanering) at the Defence Materiel Administration from 1980 to 1981 and from 1981 to 1984 he served as commanding officer of Flygvapnets Södertörnsskolor (F 18). Östh attended the Swedish National Defence College in 1984. He then served as Chief of Staff of Bergslagen Military District from 1989 to 1990. He was promoted to major general and appointed Chief of the Air Staff from 1 October 1990. Östh served in this position until 1994. His assumed the position of Chief of the Joint Staff (Gemensamma staben) at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters on 1 July 1994. He served in this position until 1997.

Personal life In 1961, Östh married Margaretha Johansson (born 1936), the daughter of Birger Johansson and Wendela (née Lundberg).

Honours Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1984)