Stuart Peach

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Sir Stuart Peach

Sir Stuart Peach
Born 1956
West Midlands
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1977 to present
Rank Air Chief Marshal
Commands held IX (Bomber) Squadron
British Forces Italy
NATO Air Commander (Forward), Kosovo
Air Warfare Centre
Chief of Defence Intelligence
Chief of Joint Operations
Joint Forces Command
Battles/wars Op Jural (Op Southern Watch)
Kosovo
Awards
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire
  • Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart William Peach, KCB, CBE (born 1956) is a senior Royal Air Force officer. He was appointed the first Commander of Joint Forces Command in December 2011, having previously served as Chief of Joint Operations and prior to that as Chief of Defence Intelligence. He was appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff on 10 May 2013.[1]

Service career

Peach was gazetted as a University Cadet in 1974,[2] being commissioned on graduation in 1977 as a Pilot Officer,[3] and promoted to Flying Officer[4] and Flight Lieutenant the following year.[5] A navigator, Peach served one tour on the English Electric Canberra in the photographic reconnaissance role and then three tours on the ground attack and reconnaissance variant of the Panavia Tornado in both the UK and Germany,[6] being promoted to Squadron Leader in 1986,[7] becoming a Qualified Weapons Instructor[6] and receiving the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the 1990 Birthday Honours List.[8]

Stuart Peach in combat uniform

After Staff College in 1990 he returned to Germany to serve as Personal Staff Officer to, in turn, Deputy Commander RAF Germany, Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany and Commander Second Allied Tactical Air Force (of which RAF Germany formed a part),[6] being promoted to Wing Commander in 1991.[9] From 1994 to 1996 Peach commanded IX (Bomber) Squadron operating in the Strike, Attack and SEAD role, also acting as Deputy Station Commander RAF Bruggen.[6]

Following promotion to Group Captain in 1996[10] and an MPhil degree at the University of Cambridge,[6] Peach became Director Defence Studies (Royal Air Force) in 1997, commissioning scholarship, editing books and writing articles on air power. In 1999 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College (having previously graduated from that course).[6]

Peach served as Commander British Forces Italy from 1999 to 2000 and NATO Air Commander (Forward) in Kosovo in 2000,[6] as a result of which he was appointed CBE.[11] He was then appointed Commandant of the Air Warfare Centre[12] and Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence[6] at RAF Strike Command, being promoted to Air Commodore in January 2001.[13]

Promoted to Air Vice Marshal in 2003,[14] Peach served as Director General Intelligence Collection from July 2003 to March 2006.[6] He was promoted to Air Marshal in 2006,[15] and appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence,[16] becoming Chief of Joint Operations in March 2009[17] having been knighted in that year's New Year Honours List.[18]

Peach was promoted to Air Chief Marshal and appointed the first commander of the new Joint Forces Command in December 2011.[19] He went on to become Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013.[20]

Education and personal

Peach graduated from the University of Sheffield with a degree in Geography, Economics and Social History and, in addition to his MPhil from Cambridge, has been awarded an honorary DTech degree from the University of Kingston, and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is the President of the RAF Rugby League, and is married with two children.[6]

Honours and awards

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) 2009 New Year Honours
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 5 April 2001
General Service Medal
NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia
NATO medal for Kosovo
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 2002
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air 1990 Birthday Honours

References

  1. ↑ Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach KCB CBE ADC BA MPhil DTech DLitt FRAeS RAF
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46432. p. 12878. 16 Dec 1974. Retrieved 18 Feb 2012.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47352. p. 13103. 17 Oct 1977. Retrieved 19 Feb 2012.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47437. pp. 607–608. 16 Jan 1978. Retrieved 19 Feb 2012.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 47670. p. 12646. 23 Oct 1978. Retrieved 19 Feb 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Cambridge Conference 2007, Biography: Chief of Defence Intelligence
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 50583. pp. 8719–8720. 30 Jun 1986. Retrieved 19 Feb 2012.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 52173. p. 27. 15 Jun 1990. Retrieved 19 Feb 2013.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52591. p. 10091. 1 Jul 1991. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54453. p. 8919. 1 July 1996. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56168. pp. 4244–4245. 6 Apr 2001. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  12. ↑ gulabin.com RAF Appointments p58 (Sep 2011) retrieved 3 Mar 2012
  13. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56078. p. 14622. 2 Jan 2001. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57018. p. 9733. 5 Aug 2003. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  15. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57931. p. 3968. 21 Mar 2006. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  16. ↑ gulabin.com Tri-Service Appointments p7 (Sep 2011) retrieved 3 Mar 2012
  17. ↑ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 04/08 retrieved 9 Jun 2008
  18. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58929. p. 2. 31 Dec 2008. Retrieved 3 Mar 2012.
  19. ↑ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/11 retrieved 1 Dec 2011
  20. ↑ "New senior military officers appointed". Inside Government. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013. 

External links

Media related to Stuart Peach at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by
R J Horwood		 Commandant Air Warfare Centre
July 2000 - June 2003 		Succeeded by
C M Nickols
Preceded by
Maj Gen Michael Laurie		 Director General Intelligence Collection
July 2003 - March 2006 		Succeeded by
Maj Gen John Rose
Preceded by
Lt Gen A P Ridgway		 Chief of Defence Intelligence
March 2006 - January 2009 		Succeeded by
C M Nickols
Preceded by
Lt Gen J N R Houghton		 Chief of Joint Operations
March 2009 - December 2011 		Succeeded by
Lt Gen D A Capewell
New title Commander, Joint Forces Command
December 2011 to April 2013 		Succeeded by
Richard Barrons
Preceded by
Sir Nick Houghton		 Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff
May 2013– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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