Gavin Parker

Gavin Parker
Air Vice-Marshal Parker in 2018
Born (1969-02-22) 22 February 1969 (age 55)
Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1990–2020
RankAir Vice-Marshal
CommandsNo. 2 Group (2015–17)
RAF Leuchars (2011–13)
Battles / warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Douglas Anthony Parker, CB, OBE is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer and was the Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C.

Early life and education

Parker was born on 22 February 1969 in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe). He studied physics at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1990. He later studied at King's College London, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in defence studies in 2006.[1]

RAF career

Parker was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 30 September 1990.[2] He became Air Officer Scotland and station commander at RAF Leuchars in 2011, Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy at the Ministry of Defence in 2013,[3] and Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group in 2015.[4] After that he became Head of the British Defence Staff and Defence Attaché in Washington, D.C. in August 2017.[3] Parker was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2019 Birthday Honours,[5] and retired from the RAF on 29 September 2020.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Parker, Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Douglas Anthony, (born 22 Feb. 1969), Defence Attaché and Head of the British Defence Staff, Washington DC, 2017–20". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020.
  2. ^ "No. 52339". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 November 1990. p. 17945.
  3. ^ a b "Ministry of Defence and Senior Tri-Service Appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Senior RAF Appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  5. ^ "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B3.
  6. ^ "No. 63164". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 November 2020. p. 18606.
Military offices
Preceded by Station Commander RAF Leuchars
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Air Officer Scotland
2011–2013
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Head of the British Defence Staff – US and Defence Attaché
2017–2020 		Succeeded by