As a student in the 7th grade of the Tsar Boris III High School was an active member of the Workers Youth League.

Threatened with police arrest, he went underground and became a guerrilla in early 1942, in the Partisan squad "Hristo Clothchev", where he took the name "Dico."

After the communist coup in September 1944, he graduated from the People's Men's High School "Hristo Clothchev" in 1945.

He joined the Bulgarian People's Army on September 16, 1944, and served as assistant commander of the Guard Team in the 34th Infantry Trojan Regiment.

In 1973, he was appointed Deputy Minister of National Defense and Commander of the Land Forces by ministerial order of Dobri Dzhurov.