Simon Bryant (RAF officer)
Sir Simon Bryant | |
|---|---|
 Air Chief Marshal Simon Bryant | |
| Born | 20 June 1956 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1977–2012 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | Air Command (2010–12) Air Member for Personnel (2009–10) RAF Leuchars (2003–05) No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron (1997–99) |
| Battles / wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, KCB, CBE (born 20 June 1956)[1] is a former Royal Air Force officer, who served as Commander-in-Chief of Air Command, and he was the second-most senior officer in the service until this post was dis-established in March 2012. He was appointed in 2010, following the sudden death of the then Commander-in-Chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran, having served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel for just over a year. He was knighted in the 2011 New Year Honours List.
Service career
Educated at Stamford School[2] and the University of Nottingham, graduating in 1977 in Geography, Bryant was commissioned as a University Cadet in 1974.[3] He was regraded on graduation,[4] and then promoted to flying officer[5] and to flight lieutenant in 1978.[6] Trained as a fast jet navigator, he completed two tours on the F-4 Phantom in the Air Defence role before an exchange tour with the US Navy, instructing on the F-14 Tomcat.[7] Promoted to squadron leader in 1985,[8] Bryant then flew the Tornado F3 as a squadron executive at RAF Leeming.[7]
Following a tour in the Air Secretary's Department, Staff College (graduating in 1992), a Force Development appointment in the Ministry of Defence,[7] and promotion to wing commander in 1993,[9] Bryant served as a Senior Operations Officer at the Combined Air Operations Centre at Vicenza in 1996, before being appointed Commanding Officer of 43(F) Squadron at RAF Leuchars, again flying the Tornado F3.[7]
Promoted group captain in 1999,[10] Bryant served as the Personal Staff Officer to the Deputy Supreme Commander at SHAPE before being appointed Commander of British Forces in Oman;[7] he was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in 2002.[11]
Following the Higher Command and Staff Course,[7] Bryant was promoted to air commodore in 2004,[12] his initial appointment being as Air Officer Scotland before a further tour in the Middle East as Director of the Combined Air Operations Centre at Al Udeid in Qatar;[7] he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005.[13] On return to the UK, a tour as Head of Joint Capability at the Ministry of Defence[7] was followed by his promotion to air vice marshal and appointment as Chief of Staff Personnel (and Air Secretary) in 2006.[14] In 2009 he was promoted to air marshal and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel (and Air Member for Personnel),[15] in which position he had been serving for just over a year when the then Commander-in-Chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran died suddenly, and Bryant was promoted in order to replace Moran.[16] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2011 New Year Honours List.[17]
In June 2011, Bryant said, that in the context of operations in Libya, "huge" demands were being placed on equipment and personnel.[18] Prime Minister David Cameron responded by telling the defence chiefs to stop criticising Libya mission.[19]
His retirement was marked by a dining-out on 30 March 2012.[20]
Family
Bryant is married to Helen, and they have a son, Benjamin, and daughter Alexandra. He is a sportsman, particularly enjoying golf, real tennis, skiing, hockey and squash.[7]
References
- ^ "Birthday's today". The Telegraph. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, C–in–C Air Command, 2010–12, 57
- ^ "Old Stamfordian Update 06/10" (PDF). Stamford School. April 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "No. 46455". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 7 January 1975. - ^ "No. 47328". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 20 September 1977. - ^ "No. 47437". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 16 January 1978. - ^ "No. 47670". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 23 October 1978. - ^ a b c d e f g h i "Commander-in-Chief Air Command". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ^ "No. 50195". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 15 July 1985. - ^ "No. 53363". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 5 July 1993. - ^ "No. 55543". The London Gazette. 6 July 1999.
- ^ "No. 56735". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 29 October 2002. - ^ "No. 57168". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 6 January 2004. - ^ "No. 57665". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 11 June 2005. - ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 04/06 of 10 Apr 2006 retrieved 30 May 2011
- ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/08 of 16 Oct 2008 retrieved 30 May 2011
- ^ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 04/10 of 18 Jun 2010 retrieved 30 May 2011
- ^ "No. 59647". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 31 December 2010. - ^ "RAF stretched by Libya, says second-in-command". BBC. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "David Cameron tells defence chiefs to stop criticising Libya mission". 21 June 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "Last Commander in Chief dined out of RAF High Wycombe". Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1956 births
- Living people
- People educated at Stamford School
- Alumni of the University of Nottingham
- Alumni of King's College London
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
- Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service
- Royal Air Force air marshals