Ángel Liberal Lucini

Ángel Liberal Lucini (19 September 1921 – 2 October 2006) was a soldier and admiral in the Spanish Military who became the first Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) during its creation, an office he held from January 1984 to October 1986.

Lucini was born 19 September 1921 in Barcelona. His father, an infantry commander and vice to the captain-general of Valladolid in 1936, was the first victim of Spanish Civil War.

Lucini enrolled in the Naval Academy Cádiz in 1938 at the age of 16-17 and graduated in 1942. He graduated very young and at the age of 23 commands his first ships Torpedo boat LT 25 in 1945, Arcila 1949 and the Alcalá Galiano in 1962. Angel Liberal has never participate in the civil war during his services in the Navy, he was onetime, in commands of 17 ships in the Bodyguard Command, a reports says he has never arrest anyone during his commands that was in 1976 as rear admiral.

Lucini earned a diploma in Naval warfare at Naval War College of which he also did served as the college deputy director, head of studies and instruction of the Military Naval School in 1961, he was naval attaché at the Embassy of Spain in United States.

Post-military
Lucini held various political and military posts during his service. He was first Secretary General of the Navy when the Ministry of Defence was created in 1977, helping to stop the 23-F attempted coup. He was Secretary General for Defence Economic Affairs and was appointed Undersecretary of Defence on 23 February 1981. He served in the cabinet of Admiral Nieto Antúnez as a chief cabinet for four years, he was also among the collaborators that oversaw the creation of the Department of Defence. He was a member of the Council of State in 1996. Lucini took part in Spanish-North American negotiations for the Friendship and Cooperation Agreement.

Ranks and commands
Lucini became rear admiral in 1974 served as the head and vice admiral in 1977 from which he rose to the rank of admiral 1982 and became the captain general of the Mediterranean maritime zone in January 1983 until January 1984 when was appointed as the first Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD). He worked closely with Lieutenant General Gutiérrez Mellado during this time Spain joined the NATO. He represented the Spanish military at the NATO Military Committee and served as the president of the organization for one year between 1984 and 1985, during which he collaborated on the Gibraltar dispute which was prepared by the Institute for International Issues and Foreign Policy, that was in the discussion forum in 1997.

Lucini moved on to the reserve force after completing his tenure as the Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) was in October 1986, Lieutenant General Gonzalo Puigcerver of the air force took over from him as (CHODS) but got an honorary promotion to admiral general in 1999.

Family members
His father, Angel Liberal Travieso was the aide-de-camp to Captain General of Valladolid General Nicolás Molero Lobo. In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Travieso died trying to oppose rebellious troops who were trying to assault the Captaincy building in Villacastín. His father was fatally wounded, and he was the first to be killed by commander Riobóo during the civil war. Lucini's mother was Ana María Fernández Núñez-Mota, he has three siblings María Gloria, Eduardo who is a lieutenant in the Navy commanded the destroyer Marqués de la Ensenada, and María Concepción. His mother Ana María was the daughter of Admiral and captain general of the Cantabrian Pedro Fernández Martín and three of her brothers are served in the Navy.

Death
Ángel Liberal Lucini died on 2 October 2006, at the age of 85.