1. Stuart William Peach, Baron Peach was born on 22 February 1956 and is a British retired senior Royal Air Force officer.
27 Facts About Stuart Peach
1. 2.
Stuart Peach was deployed as NATO Air Commander in Kosovo in 2000.
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Stuart Peach went on to be Chief of Defence Intelligence in 2006, Chief of Joint Operations in 2009 and the first Commander of Joint Forces Command in December 2011 before being appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013.
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Stuart Peach succeeded General Sir Nick Houghton as Chief of the Defence Staff on 14 July 2016.
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Stuart Peach succeeded General Petr Pavel as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018, serving as such until his retirement from NATO in June 2021.
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Stuart Peach studied geography, economics, and social history at the University of Sheffield, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977.
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Stuart Peach later studied at Downing College, Cambridge, and completed a Master of Philosophy degree in 1997.
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Stuart Peach was appointed an acting pilot officer on 1 September 1974 and was commissioned on graduation from university as a substantive pilot officer on 15 July 1977; he was promoted to flying officer on 15 January 1978 and to flight lieutenant on 15 October 1978.
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Stuart Peach transferred to No 31 Squadron in 1984 and served on the Tornado in Germany.
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Stuart Peach saw action as a Detachment Commander in Saudi Arabia during Operation Jural.
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From 1994 to 1996 Stuart Peach commanded IX Squadron operating in the Strike, Attack and SEAD role, acting as Deputy Station Commander RAF Bruggen.
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Stuart Peach served as Commander British Forces Italy from 1999 to 2000 and NATO Air Commander in Kosovo in 2000, as a result of which he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 6 April 2001.
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From July 2000 to June 2003, Stuart Peach was Commandant of the Air Warfare Centre, and Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence at RAF Strike Command.
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Stuart Peach was promoted to air commodore on 1 January 2001.
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Stuart Peach was promoted to air marshal on 17 March 2006, and appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence, becoming Chief of Joint Operations in March 2009, having been appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2009 New Year Honours List.
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Stuart Peach was promoted to air chief marshal and appointed the first commander of the new Joint Forces Command in December 2011.
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Stuart Peach went on to become Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013.
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Stuart Peach was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 New Year Honours.
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On 22 January 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that Stuart Peach would succeed General Sir Nick Houghton as Chief of the Defence Staff in summer 2016.
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Stuart Peach succeeded General Petr Pavel as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018.
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In December 2021 Stuart Peach became the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.
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Stuart Peach carried Curtana, the Sword of Mercy, at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.
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On St George's Day 2024, Stuart Peach was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
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Stuart Peach married Brigitte Ender in 1986; they have one son and one daughter.
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Stuart Peach was President of the RAF Rugby League; he is interested in sport, military history and cooking.
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Stuart Peach has an honorary DTech degree from Kingston University and an honorary LittD degree from the University of Sheffield.
27.
Stuart Peach is an Honorary Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge.