Jock Stirrup

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graham Eric Stirrup
December 4, 1949 (1949-12-04) (age 58)–
Sir Jock Stirrup
Nickname	Jock Stirrup
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1970–
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	Chief of the Defence Staff Chief of the Air Staff No. 1 Group
Battles/wars	Dhofar War Operation Veritas
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Air Force Cross

Air Chief Marshal Sir Graham Eric Stirrup GCB, AFC, DSc, FRAeS FCMI RAF (born 4 December 1949), commonly known as Sir Jock Stirrup, is a senior Royal Air Force commander and the current British Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

Contents 1 RAF career 2 Public comments whilst Chief of the Defence Staff 3 References 4 External links

[edit] RAF career

Stirrup was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and the RAF College Cranwell, where he received his commission in 1970. In the early 1970s, while on loan service with the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force, Stirrup flew Strikemasters in the Dhofar War. In 1993 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS); his RCDS course colleagues included his current deputy Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in 1997, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in 1998 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command in 2000.

From September 2001 to January 2002, Stirrup was UK National Contingent Commander for operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1 August 2003 until 13 April 2006 and was appointed CDS on 28 April 2006.

[edit] Public comments whilst Chief of the Defence Staff

In June 2007 whilst speaking at Chatham House, Stirrup commented that Western militaries must be prepared to deal with the consequences of global warming^[1].

On operations in Afganistan, Stirrup has noted that whilst "the military is a key, an essential element in dealing with those problems, but by and large these problems can only be resolved politically" and that he favoured a pragmatic approach to dealing with former members of the Taliban.^[2]

Following Prince Harry's early return from Afghanistan, Stirrup stated that the Prince might only be deployed in future if the risks involved "would be no higher than they would normally be in such circumstances".^[3].

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Defense News - Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup
• Ministry of Defence - Chief of the Defence Staff

Military offices
Preceded by J R Day	Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group 1997 – 1998	Succeeded by J H Thompson
Preceded by T I Jenner	Assistant Chief of the Air Staff 1998 – 2000	Succeeded by P O Sturley
Preceded by T I Jenner	Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 2000 – 2002	Succeeded by Sir Brian Burridge
Preceded by Sir Peter Squire	Chief of the Air Staff 2003 – 2006	Succeeded by Sir Glenn Torpy
Preceded by Sir Michael Walker	Chief of the Defence Staff 2006 –	Incumbent

v • d • e Chiefs of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force Sir Hugh Trenchard • Sir Frederick Sykes • Sir Hugh Trenchard • Sir John Salmond • Sir Geoffrey Salmond • Sir John Salmond • Sir Edward Ellington • Sir Cyril Newall • Sir Charles Portal • Sir Arthur Tedder • Sir John Slessor • Sir William Dickson • Sir Dermot Boyle • Sir Thomas Pike • Sir Charles Elworthy • Sir John Grandy • Sir Denis Spotswood • Sir Andrew Humphrey • Sir Neil Cameron • Sir Michael Beetham • Sir Keith Williamson • Sir David Craig • Sir Peter Harding • Sir Michael Graydon • Sir Richard Johns • Sir Peter Squire • Sir Jock Stirrup • Sir Glenn Torpy