17 Facts About Jonathon Band

Since becoming First Sea Lord, Band had been a firm advocate of the creation of new ships to meet new threats and maintain the status of the Royal Navy as one of the world's leading naval forces.

Jonathon Band entered the Royal Navy in 1967, before undertaking sea training in the Far East.

Jonathon Band returned to the UK on an undergraduate programme and studied for three years at the University of Exeter, gaining a BA in 1972.

Jonathon Band was confirmed in the rank of sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1971.

Jonathon Band was promoted to lieutenant on 30 January 1974.

Jonathon Band was responsible for helping re-equip 9th Frigate Squadron, the first Type 23 frigate squadron.

Jonathon Band was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 9 April 1995.

Jonathon Band returned to the Ministry of Defence as Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.

Jonathon Band left this appointment in December 1999 and assumed the position of team leader of the Defence Education and Training Study in January 2000 with the rank of vice admiral.

Jonathon Band was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2002 New Year Honours.

In February 2006 Jonathon Band took over the positions of First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff from Admiral Sir Alan West and in a press statement set out the Navy's priorities in the 21st century.

Jonathon Band is a proponent for the Sustained surface combatant capability and the creation of new ships to maintain the Royal Navy as one of the world's leading navies.

Jonathon Band was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 2008 Birthday Honours and succeeded by Mark Stanhope as First Sea Lord on 21 July 2009.

Jonathon Band has become a non-executive director of the British arm of the American defence contractor Lockheed Martin who produce the F35-B aircraft which will be utilized on the new aircraft carriers.

Jonathon Band is a defence adviser at British defence firm Babcock International and a non-executive director of military consultancy Survitec Group.

Jonathon Band is a Younger Brother of Trinity House and a liveryman of the Shipwrights' Company.

Jonathon Band was a patron of the International Scott Centenary Expedition 2012; its aim was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Scott's race to the South Pole and the subsequent deaths of the polar party on the Ross Ice Shelf.