​

Lieutenant General  Salvatore CUOCI was born in Aversa on the 26th of January 1965. He joined the Military Academy in 1983 and was named Lieutenant of Armoured troops in September 1987 after attending the Junior Army Officers School in Turin.

He served as Platoon Commander in the 9th Armoured Battalion “M.O. Butera" in L'Aquila, in the 6th Tank Battalion “M.O. Scapuzzi" in Civitavecchia he served as Company Commander, S2 and S3 Chief. From 1993 to 1996 he was appointed as Staff Officer and Head of Operation and Training Section to the Mechanized Brigade “Granatieri di Sardegna".

After attending the 122nd Italian Army Junior Staff Course and the 2nd Joint Staff Officer's Course, he was assigned to the Italian Army General Staff where he served as Section Chief in the “Recruitment, Status and Promotion" Office. During this period he also managed the process of transition from conscript to professional Armed Forces including the recruitment process of female candidates in the Italian Army.

In 2002 he served with NATO Operation SFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina as a Staff Officer. The following year, he was appointed Commander of 1st Cavalry Squadron Group “Savoia Cavalleria".

In 2007 he attended the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA (USA) and, back in Italy, he became the 97th Commander of “Savoia Cavalleria" regiment.

In 2009 he was appointed as Military Assistant and Aide de Camp for the Army to the President of the Italian Republic.

In 2012 he attended the USAREUR Combined Forces Land Component Commanders' Seminar in Germany. As Brigadier General, he was appointed as the 8th Commander of the Airmobile Infantry Brigade “Friuli" in Bologna.

In 2015 he deployed to Lebanon for the UNIFIL Operation as Commanding General of Sector West.

From 2015 until 2017 he was the Chief de Cabinet and Executive Assistant to the Chief of Italian Army General Staff. His last appointment was in Kosovo, where  he served as the 22nd KFOR Commander leading a coalition made up of 28 countries.

Lieutenant General Cuoci's education includes bachelor's degrees in Strategic Studies from the University of Turin, Political Science from the University of Salerno and International and Diplomatic Sciences from the University of Trieste. His post graduate education includes International Strategic Military Studies from the Italian Centre for Defense Higher Studies, Strategic Studies from the US Army War College and Strategic Studies from the University of Turin. He has been awarded: - High Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; - 2 Army Merit Silver Crosses; Cross for Military Support to Civilian Authorities; - NATO Medal for Operation in former Yugoslavia; - NATO Medal for Operation in Kosovo; - UN Medal for UNIFIL Peacekeeping operation; - French Golden Medal of the National Defence and USA Legion of Merit.

​From November 2018 September 2021 Lieutenant General Cuoci was Commender for the Army Military Education and Officers Application School in Turin. From September 2021 April 2024 was Chief of the Human Resources Department of IT Army.

From April 2024 August 2025, was IT Army Land Operational HQ.

From September 2025 Lieutenant General Cuoci is in charge as Deputy Chief of the Italian Army General Staff.

Lieutenant General Cuoci is married to Mrs Patrizia and they have a son, Marco.​