Patrick Wouters

Dr Patrick Wouters is a Senior Associate Researcher at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the VUB. He served as the executive officer of the Defence Policy and Planning Division at NATO HQ.  His last appointment in the uniform was as Deputy Director for Plans and Policy in the International Military Staff of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.  He received his officers’ commission in the Royal Military Academy and after pilot training in the United States, he served in the Belgian Air Force for 35 years in operational and command assignments on Mirage and F16.  In line with his PhD dissertation, his field of research focuses on Private Military Companies and their impact on defence and security as well as great power competition and civil-military relations.