20 Facts About Sharon Nesmith

Sharon Nesmith has been Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff since June 2024, having served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from August 2022 to May 2024.

Sharon Nesmith became the first woman to command a British Army brigade in 2014, the first woman to command a British division-level formation in 2021, the first woman to be promoted to lieutenant general in the British Army in 2022 and the first to be promoted to general in 2024.

Sharon Nesmith's father was an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, and her brother served in the British Army for 16 years.

Sharon Nesmith studied biological sciences at the University of Edinburgh.

Sharon Nesmith was sponsored through university by the British Army, having been awarded a university cadetship.

Sharon Nesmith was commissioned in the Women's Royal Army Corps of the British Army as a second lieutenant on 4 September 1988 as part of her university cadetship.

Sharon Nesmith was promoted to lieutenant on 5 August 1991.

Sharon Nesmith was promoted to captain on 1 April 1995, to major on 30 September 2000, and to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 2008.

Sharon Nesmith was promoted to colonel on 30 June 2012.

Sharon Nesmith was promoted to brigadier on 30 June 2015.

Sharon Nesmith's role was formally announced by Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon in September 2015, almost a year after she started in the role.

Sharon Nesmith was a Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from 1 November 2018 to 1 November 2023.

On 8 March 2019, The Times reported that Sharon Nesmith was to be appointed as Director at Army Headquarters and would sit on the Army Board.

Sharon Nesmith assumed the appointment on 14 March 2019 and was promoted to major general.

Sharon Nesmith was appointed Master of Signals on 1 October 2020, succeeding Lieutenant General Sir Nick Pope.

Sharon Nesmith became General Officer Commanding of Army Recruiting and Initial Training Command in January 2021.

Sharon Nesmith was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff on 11 August 2022, becoming the first woman to hold lieutenant general rank in the British Army.

Sharon Nesmith was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2024 New Year Honours, and thereby granted the title dame.

In May 2024, it was announced that Sharon Nesmith would be appointed the next Vice-Chief of Defence Staff in succession to Gwyn Jenkins, and would thus become the first woman to hold the rank of general in the British Army and therefore the highest-ranked female officer in British history.

Sharon Nesmith has been a vice-president of the Army Football Association.