Harry Atkinson (RAF officer)

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Richard Atkinson
Group Captain Richard Atkinson.jpg
Air Commodore Harry Atkinson
Nickname(s)Harry
Born Worcester, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Air Force
Rank Air Commodore
Commands held Air Officer Scotland (2009–11)
RAF Leuchars (2009–11)
No. 25 (Fighter) Squadron (2003–05)
Battles/wars War in Afghanistan
Awards Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Air Commodore Richard John Atkinson, CBE (born c. 1964), is a senior Royal Air Force officer and former Air Officer Scotland.

RAF career

Atkinson joined the Royal Air Force in 1982. [1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 25 (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Leeming in 2003, Deputy Director, Strategic Planning in the Ministry of Defence in 2005 and was then deployed as Deputy Director, Air Control Element, Headquarters International Security Assistance Force, Kabul in 2008. [1] He became Officer Commanding No 125 Expeditionary Air Wing as well as Air Officer Scotland and Station Commander RAF Leuchars in 2009 and, in that role, led the transformation of RAF Leuchars from being a Tornado base into a Typhoon base before retiring in 2011. [2]

Atkinson was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours. [3]

After retiring from the RAF, he became Director of Marketing And Communication at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 "RAF Leuchars: Station Commander". RAF. Archived from the original on 22 December 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  2. "Air Rank Appointments List". Royal Air Force. 1 September 2009. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  3. "No. 60009". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 6.
  4. "Fit to Drive and Stay Alive: Safeguarding our Most Valuable Asset". 6 November 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
Military offices
Preceded by
Ian Morrison
Deputy Director – Air Control Element
International Security Assistance Force Kabul

2008–2009
Succeeded by
I D Teakle
Preceded by Station Commander RAF Leuchars
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Clive Bairsto
Officer Commanding No. 125 Expeditionary Air Wing
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Post disbanded
Preceded by
Clive Bairsto
Air Officer Scotland
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Gavin Parker