David Cooper (chaplain)
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Rev. David Cooper (born 1944) was the Army Chaplain ( or 'Padre') attached to the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) who came to prominence during the Falklands War of 1982 when he was filmed for television news on 30 May 1982 officiating at the moving field burial service for the 18 'Paras' who were killed in the Battle of Goose Green, including Lt. Col.'H' Jones[1] . During that service he used the expression "Think on" , which became something of a catchphrase for him with the media. Cooper was also an army champion shot at Bisley. He ministered to the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment during the Falklands War and during its tours in Northern Ireland.
[edit] Eton College
He left the Army in 1984 to become the Chaplain at Eton College, which was attended by Princes William and Harry. In 2002 it was reported in the media that the Royal Military Police had seized weapons during a raid on his home in the grounds of the elite school in Berkshire. At the time officers were investigating alleged financial irregularities at the College,[2] a claim denied by the College's governing body.[3]
[edit] Recent career
Cooper was a major contributor to the 1994 book 'The Scars of War' by Hugh McManners, which attempted to compare the ways in which the British Army, the US Army and the Israeli Defence Force motivate their peacetime soldiery and train their special forces. However, Cooper disagreed with many of the book's conclusions, believing that McManners had been selective in his use of examples and personal experiences in order to support an existing view of the subject rather than to present an objective assessment.[4]
Aegis Defence Services, a London based, privately owned, British security and risk management company with overseas offices in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kenya, Nepal and the U.S., appointed the Rev David Cooper to be head of civil affairs in Iraq on a one year contract. As a 'padre' in the British Army, he had seen active service which led to his being a recognised expert and lecturer in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His role in Iraq will be to oversee the civil affair programme AEGIS is running as part of its $300 million contract for the US government to provide a security and co-ordination framework for the reconstruction effort in Iraq.[5]
