General Ari Puheloinen has assumed the position of Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces from Admiral Juhani Kaskeala on 1 August 2009.
General Puheloinen has been Chief of Defence Command Finland since 1 April 2007. He handed over the position of Chief of Defence Command Finland to Lieutenant General Markku Koli on 31 July 2009. Prior to being the Chief of the Defence Command, General Puheloinen was the Commander of the Eastern Command from 2004 to 2007, and the Chief of Current Operations in the Defence Command from 2000 to 2003.
