| Sir Simon Bryant | |
|---|---|
 Air Chief Marshal Simon Bryant | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1977 to present |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held |
No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron RAF Leuchars Air Command |
| 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 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[1] and the University of Nottingham, graduating in 1977 in Geography, Bryant was commissioned as a University Cadet in 1974.[2] He was regraded on graduation,[3] and then promoted to flying officer[4] and to flight lieutenant in 1978.[5] 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.[6] Promoted to squadron leader in 1985,[7] Bryant then flew the Tornado F3 as a squadron executive at RAF Leeming.[6]
Following a tour in the Air Secretary's Department, Staff College (graduating in 1992), a Force Development appointment in the Ministry of Defence,[6] and promotion to wing commander in 1993,[8] 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.[6]
Promoted group captain in 1999,[9] Bryant served as the Personal Staff Officer to the Deputy Supreme Commander at SHAPE before being appointed Commander of British Forces in Oman;[6] he was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in 2002.[10]
Following the Higher Command and Staff Course,[6] Bryant was promoted to air commodore in 2004,[11] 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;[6] he was appointed CBE in 2005.[12] On return to the UK, a tour as Head of Joint Capability at the Ministry of Defence[6] was followed by his promotion to air vice marshal and appointment as Chief of Staff Personnel (and Air Secretary) in 2006.[13] In 2009 he was promoted to air marshal and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel (and Air Member for Personnel),[14] 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.[15] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2011 New Year Honours List.[16]
In June 2011, Bryant said, that in the context of operations in Libya, "huge" demands were being placed on equipment and personnel.[17] Prime Minister David Cameron responded by telling the defence chiefs to stop criticising Libya mission.[18]
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.[6]
Honours and Awards[]
References[]
- ↑ "Old Stamfordian Update 06/10". Stamford School. Late April 2010. http://www.ses.lincs.sch.uk/_files/OS/A9D2175F64C359766BEC91C4DFCCD8CE.pdf. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ↑ "No. 46455". 7 January 1975. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46455/page/
- ↑ "No. 47328". 20 September 1977. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47328/page/
- ↑ "No. 47437". 16 January 1978. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47437/page/
- ↑ "No. 47670". 23 October 1978. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47670/page/
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 "Commander-in-Chief Air Command". Ministry of Defence. http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/cincair.cfm. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
- ↑ "No. 50195". 15 July 1985. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50195/page/
- ↑ "No. 53363". 5 July 1993. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53363/page/
- ↑ "No. 55543". 6 July 1999. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/55543/page/
- ↑ "No. 56735". 29 October 2002. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56735/page/
- ↑ "No. 57168". 6 January 2004. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57168/page/
- ↑ "No. 57665". 11 June 2005. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57665/page/
- ↑ 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". 31 December 2010. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59647/page/
- ↑ "RAF stretched by Libya, says second-in-command". BBC. 21 June 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13852456. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ↑ "David Cameron tells defence chiefs to stop criticising Libya mission". 21 June 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/8588973/David-Cameron-tells-defence-chiefs-to-stop-criticising-Libya-mission.html. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
The original article can be found at Simon Bryant (RAF officer) and the edit history here.