Andrew Turner | |
---|---|
Born | 1967 (age 56–57) |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1985–2022 |
Rank | Air Marshal |
Commands | No. 22 Group RAF Odiham No. 28 Squadron |
Battles / wars | The Troubles Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Air Marshal Andrew Mark Turner, CB , CBE , CCMI (born 1967) is a former senior Royal Air Force officer and helicopter pilot.
Born in 1967, Turner was educated at Kingswood School. [1] He studied at the University of Oxford, University of Exeter, King's College London, Chennai and the Open University: he has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in oceanography and cosmology, a master's degree in international relations, and a master's degree in strategic studies. [2]
Turner joined the Royal Air Force in 1985 and was commissioned as an acting pilot officer in 1986, [3] initially training at RAF Gütersloh. [4] He was promoted to pilot officer in 1987, [5] and further promoted to flying officer in 1987, [6] flight lieutenant in 1991, [7] squadron leader in 1995, [8] and wing commander in 2000. [9] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2003 in recognition of service in the Iraq War also referred to as Operation Telic. [10]
Turner has commanded No. 28 Squadron RAF and RAF Odiham. [1] [11] In July 2014 he went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group RAF [12] and Chief of Staff Training at RAF Air Command, [13] [14] in which capacity he also oversaw safety for the Red Arrows. [15] He was Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) from October 2017 to 2019. [16] Turner was promoted to air marshal and appointed as Deputy Commander Capability at RAF Air Command on 23 May 2019. [17]
Turner was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 New Year Honours, [18] and further appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2019 New Year Honours. [19]
In February 2022 Turner was temporarily suspended after complaints from neighbours who told police they had seen him naked in his garden. [20] [21] He was not arrested or charged. [20]
Turner retired from the Royal Air Force on 31 August 2022. [22] In 2024, he became a trooper in the Light Cavalry HAC. [23]
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