Commandant General of the Spanish Marine Corps

Major General José Luis Souto Aguirre

Commandant General of the Marine Corps

Marine Corps Major General Jose Luis Souto Aguirre was born in Madrid on November 27 1962, entering the Naval Military Academy in August 1982. He was promoted to lieutenant in July 1987. He was Platoon Commander in the 2nd Landing Battalion of the Marine Corps Brigade and Chief of the Naval Police platoon in Rota Naval Base. He was promoted to captain in July 1990 and commanded the Staff and General Services Company of the 2nd Landing Battalion and, after completing the specialty of Tactical Communications, he commanded the Brigade Communications Company. He was lecturer in the Department of Communications of the Marine Corps School and Chief of the Organization and Personnel of the Brigade General Staff. He participated in the United Nations Mission in Mozambique, as a military observer, from April 1993 to April 1994.

He completed the General Staff Course of the Armed Forces’ Academy, being promoted to Commander during the course. As a Commander, he was a professor in the Amphibious Department of the Naval Military Academy, Chief of Organization and Personnel of the Brigade General Staff and Technical Advisor to the Private Office of the Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy (AJEMA). In addition, he was involved in the NATO Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina as Head of the Plan Cell of the Operations Section of the Headquarters of the Southeast Multinational Force.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 2008 and was posted for a three-year period to NATO Maritime Headquarters in Northwood, United Kingdom, as an officer in the Operational Planning Section of the Plans Division.

On his return to Spain, he was Secretary of the General Staff of the Marine Corps Force until June 2012, when he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps Brigade. In August 2014 he was assigned to the Plans Division of the Spanish Navy General Staff, graduating as a member of the 125th course of NATO’s Defense College.

On July 6 2015, he was appointed Commander of the Headquarters and Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps Force, being promoted to the rank of Colonel on September 4 2015. On July 12 2017, he assumed the position of Head of the Fleet Operations Section, during which time he was Head of Operations of the Maritime Component of Operation BALMIS and Operation MISION BALUARTE.

He was promoted to Brigadier General on March 23 2021, being appointed Commander of the Marine Corps Brigade ‘Tercio de Armada’. In September 2023, he ended his command, being assigned as Secretary General of the Spanish Navy General Staff.

He was promoted to Major General on January 15 2025, and appointed Commandant General of the Marine Corps (COMGEIM).

Major General Souto is a graduate of the NATO Defense College and a specialist in Communications. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Electronic Warfare Course of the Spanish Army and has completed the Spanish Navy and NATO electronic warfare courses. Furthermore, he attended the Research Methodology and Pedagogical Techniques course of the Military School of Education Sciences, the Atlantic Alliance’s Course on Operational Planning, and the Civil-Military Cooperation and Strategic Planning for Civil-Military Cooperation.