Michael Graydon was a fast jet pilot in the 1960s, a squadron commander in the 1970s and a station commander in the 1980s before serving as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command during the Gulf War.
17 Facts About Michael Graydon
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Michael Graydon was Chief of the Air Staff from 1992 to 1997, in which role he advised the British Government on the implementation of No Fly Zones in Iraq and Bosnia and implemented the Front Line First initiative.
3.
Michael Graydon was promoted to flight lieutenant on 15 June 1962.
4.
Michael Graydon became a qualified flying instructor at No 226 Operational conversion unit in November 1964.
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Michael Graydon became a flight commander at No 56 Squadron in April 1967, based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
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Michael Graydon attended RAF Staff College in 1970 and became Personal Staff Officer to the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Central Europe in 1971 before joining the Air Staff in the Directorate of Operations at the Ministry of Defence in 1973.
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Michael Graydon became Officer Commanding No 11 Squadron at RAF Binbrook in July 1977 and military advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff in 1979.
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Michael Graydon was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1984 New Year Honours and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies later that year.
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Michael Graydon went on to be Assistant Chief of Staff at the Policy Division at Headquarters SHAPE in June 1986 and was promoted to air vice marshal on 1 July 1986.
10.
Michael Graydon became Chief of the Air Staff in November 1992, was appointed Air Aide-de-Camp on 15 December 1992 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1993 New Year Honours.
11.
Michael Graydon implemented the Front Line First initiative launched in July 1994 which contributed to reducing the RAF manpower from around 75,000 to around 53,000.
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Michael Graydon retired from the Royal Air Force in April 1997.
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In retirement, Michael Graydon has been a non-executive director of Thales plc and Symbiotics.
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Michael Graydon has been member of the council of the Air League since 2007, Vice-Patron of the Air Cadet Council since 1999, President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust since 1999, Chairman of the Air Squadron since 2005 and Deputy Chairman of the Church Schools Company since 2003.
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In 2006, Michael Graydon expressed his belief that action was required to end the isolation of Northern Cyprus.
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Michael Graydon is currently the chairman of the board of trustees for the International Bomber Command Centre.
17.
In 1963, Michael Graydon married Margaret Elizabeth Clark; they have no children.