The Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (ACDS) is a senior British military officer. There are a number of ACDS appointments and they are held by officers of
two-star rank
An officer of two-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-7. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, two-star officers hold the rank ...
(
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
,
air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
, or
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
). They work in the
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...
.
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Health)
The ACDS(H) reports to the
Surgeon General.
* Surgeon
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
Lionel Jarvis (2008–2011)
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Jeremy Rowan (2011–2014)
* Surgeon
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
Alasdair Walker (2014–2015)
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Martin Bricknell (2015–2018)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability & Force Design)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Graeme A. Robertson (1994–1996)
* Rear-Admiral
Nigel R. Essenhigh (1996–1998)
* Major-General
John P. Kiszely (1998–2001)
* Rear-Admiral
Rory A.I. McLean (2001–2004)
* Rear-Admiral
Timothy J.H. Laurence (2004–2007)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Kevin J. Leeson (2007–2009)
* Rear-Admiral
Alan D. Richards (2009–2011)
* Major-General
Mark Poffley (2011–2014)
* Rear Admiral
Tim Fraser (2014–2017)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Richard Knighton (2017–2018)
* Major-General
Robert Magowan (2018–2020)
* Rear Admiral
Hugh Beard (2020-2022)
* Major-General
David Eastman
David Harold Eastman (born 29 September 1945) is a former public servant from Canberra, Australia. In 1995, he was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester and was sentenced to life ...
(2022-Present)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy) later, Defence Engagement
* Major-General Alexander J.S. Storrie (2011–2013)
* Rear-Admiral Simon J. Ancona (2013–2017)
* Major-General
Giles P. Hill (2017–2019)
* Major-General Stephen McMahon (2019-2020)
* Air Vice-Marshal Alastair P.T. Smith (2020-Present)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Intelligence Capability)
The ACDS(IC) reports to the
Chief of Defence Intelligence.
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Jerry Thomas (2009–2012)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments)/(Operations, now Operations & Commitments)
*
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
David Brown (1980–1982)
*
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
Clive Loader (2002–2004)
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Nick Houghton (2004–2005)
* Major General
Chris Nickols
Air Marshal Christopher Mark Nickols, (born 23 July 1956) is a retired senior officer in the Royal Air Force, whose final appointment was Chief of Defence Intelligence. Prior to that he served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operation ...
(2005–2008)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Andrew Pulford
Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Douglas Pulford, (born 22 March 1958) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. A helicopter pilot with operational service in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War and Iraq War, Pulford commanded RAF Odiha ...
(2008–2010)
* Major General
David Capewell (2010–2011)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Bob Judson (2011–2013)
* Major General
Patrick Sanders (2013–2015)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Edward Stringer
Air Marshal Edward Jackson Stringer, is a senior Royal Air Force officer. Since April 2018 he has served as Director-General of the Defence Academy. He also served as Director-General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command from April ...
(2015–2017)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Andrew Turner (2017–2019)
* Major General
Charles Stickland (2019–2021)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Allan Marshall (2021–present)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel Capability)
Since 1992, the
Defence Services Secretary The Defence Services Secretary is a senior member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.
Responsibilities
The Defence Services Secretary is the senior member of the Royal Household responsible for liaison between the Sove ...
has usually holds the appointment of ACDS(P) as a secondary role.
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Brian Pennicott (1992–1994)
*
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
Peter John Harding (1994–1998)
*
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
Rodney Lees (1998–2001)
* Major General
Christopher Elliot (2001–2004)
* Air Vice-Marshal
David Pocock
David Willmer Pocock (born 23 April 1988) is an Australian politician and former professional rugby union player. Raised in Gweru, Zimbabwe, Pocock moved to Australia as a teenager and played for the Australia national rugby team. He played p ...
(2004–2005)
* Rear Admiral
Peter Wilkinson (2005–2007)
* Major General
Matthew Sykes (2009–2010)
* Air Vice-Marshal
David Murray (2010–2012)
* Rear Admiral
Simon Williams (2012–2015)
* Major General
Richard Nugee (2015–2016)
* Air Vice-Marshal
Garry Tunnicliffe (2016–2019)
* Rear-Admiral
James Macleod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Farquharson Macleod (c. September 25, 1836 – September 5, 1894), born in Drynoch, Isle of Skye, Scotland, was a militia officer, lawyer, North-West Mounted Police officer, magistrate, judge, and politician in Albe ...
(2019–2022)
* Rear-Admiral
Philip Hally (2022- present)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Policy)
*
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
John Gingell (1975–1978)
*
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regard ...
Jock Slater (1985–1987)
* Air Vice-Marshal
David Hobart (2001–2004)
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Andrew Stewart (2004–2006)
* Rear Admiral
Alan Richards (2006–2009)
* Major General
Jonathan Shaw (2009–2012)
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Reserves and Cadets)
The ACDS(R&C) is the senior reservist of the
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, ...
. They are responsible for tri-service policy relating to the reserves and cadet forces. The appointment was created in 2004.
*
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster (2004–2007)
* Major General
Simon Lalor (2007–2010)
* Major General
Greg Smith (2010–2013)
* Major General
John Crackett (2013–2016)
* Major General
Ranald Munro (2016–2019)
* Major General
Simon Brooks-Ward (2019-2022)
* Major General Marc Overton (2022–present)
References
External links
* {{cite web, last1=Mackie , first1=Colin , title=Ministry of Defence and Tri-Service Senior Appointments , url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Ministry%20of%20Defence%20Senior%20Posts.pdf , website=gulabin.com , accessdate=4 December 2015 , format=pdf , date=November 2015 , url-status=dead , archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033054/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Ministry%20of%20Defence%20Senior%20Posts.pdf , archivedate=17 November 2015
British military appointments