Jake Alpert | |
---|---|
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1988–present |
Rank | Warrant Officer |
Commands held | Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force |
Battles/wars | The Troubles Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
Awards | Member of the Order of the British Empire |
Warrant Officer Jake Alpert, MBE is a senior warrant officer in the Royal Air Force, who served as Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force from 2019 to 2023. Therefore, he was the most senior non-commissioned officer in the RAF. [1]
Alpert joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1988. He completed his first tour while with No. 15 Squadron RAF Regiment at RAF Hullavington. Upon completion of the Pre-Parachute Selection Course and the Basic Parachute course, he went on his first operational tour to Northern Ireland. He then moved to No. II Squadron RAF Regiment serving with them for 11 years at multiple bases and took on further operational tours. [1]
In 2001, he was posted to the RAF Force Protection (FP) Centre on promotion to sergeant. He then completed the All Arms Commando Course and was subsequently awarded the Commandants' Certificate in 2004. He was then assigned to 45 Commando Royal Marines as the troop sergeant. He completed two tours with the Royal Marines during that time. [1]
In 2008, Alpert was promoted to flight sergeant and rejoined No. II Squadron. He was subsequently deployed back to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX as an Intelligence Surveillance Recognition Manager. He was promoted to warrant officer in 2010 and served as the Station Warrant Officer (SWO) at RAF Shawbury and served as OC FP Training Flight. In 2011, he returned to II Squadron as the Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM) of Camp Bastion. [1]
In 2013, he once again returned to Afghanistan as garrison sergeant major of Kandahar Air Field. In 2015, Alpert was selected for the RAF's Executive Warrant Officer employment program, while serving as the station warrant officer at RAF Halton. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for his services. [1]
In 2017, Alpert was appointed Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Allied Air Command and completed several command courses. In October 2019, he was appointed to the role of Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force. [2] Though when first appointed the position was known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer. [1] He left the office of WORAF in April 2023. [3]
In 2016, during his time at RAF Halton Alpert was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. The medal is awarded for "meritorious service by those military members who are of irreproachable character with at least 20 years of service and already hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal of their service". [4] In 2019, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. [5]
Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned officer ranks, the most senior of the non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranks, or in a separate category of their own. Warrant officer ranks are especially prominent in the militaries of Commonwealth nations and the United States.
Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World War but is due to close by December 2027.
The 1st Commando Regiment is an Australian Army Reserve special forces unit, part of Special Operations Command with an integrated structure of regular (full-time) soldiers and reserve (part-time) soldiers, which together with the full-time Australian Army 2nd Commando Regiment, provides the commando capability to Special Operations Command. Raised in 1955 it is the oldest unit within Special Operations Command and in 2008 deployed to Afghanistan to become the first Australian Army Reserve force element on combat operations since World War II. The regiment is the Command's capability lead for special warfare.
The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British volunteer-military youth organisation. They are sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Air Force. The majority of staff are volunteers, and some are paid for full-time work – including Commandant Air Cadets, a Full Term Reserve Service RAF officer. Although many ATC cadets go on to join the RAF or other services, the ATC is not a recruiting organisation for its parent service.
Chief warrant officer is a senior warrant officer rank, used in many countries.
The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969.
The Royal Air Force Police (RAFP) is the service police branch of the Royal Air Force, headed by the provost marshal of the Royal Air Force. Its headquarters are at RAF Honington and it deploys throughout the world to support RAF and UK defence missions.
In the United States Armed Forces, the ranks of warrant officer are rated as officers above all non-commissioned officers, candidates, cadets, and midshipmen, but subordinate to the lowest officer grade of O‑1. This application differs from the Commonwealth of Nations and other militaries, where warrant officers are the most senior of the other ranks, equivalent to the U.S. Armed Forces grades of E‑8 and E‑9.
Air Commodore Ian Richard William Stewart is a retired British Royal Air Force officer. His last posting was as the United Kingdom National Military Representative at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. He was Commandant Air Cadets between 2008 and 2010, and Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Reserve from 2014.
Air Vice Marshal John Frederick George Howe, was a senior Royal Air Force officer in the 1970s and 1980s. He flew combat missions in the Korean War and North Sea interceptor air patrols during the Cold War, finishing his career as the Commandant General RAF Regiment and RAF Provost Marshal and Director General Security. Howe also served as the sixteenth Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps between 1977 and 1980.
Air Commodore Timothy Gane Thorn,, often known as Tim Thorn and nicknamed "Tiger", is a retired Royal Air Force officer and up to January 2010 was a pilot and flying instructor at 6 Air Experience Flight at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.
A Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) in the United States Armed Forces is the most senior enlisted service member in a unit, and acts as an advisor to the commanding officer. Formally, E-9 billets for the senior enlisted advisor are established at Service unit, command, major command, force, or fleet levels to the SEAs/CSELs of DoD Agencies and the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. SEAs are also known as Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSEL). Always a non-commissioned officer, the SEA is the main link between the commanding officer and the enlisted service members under his or her charge.
A warrant officer (WO) in the British Armed Forces is a member of the highest group of non-commissioned ranks, holding the King's warrant, which is signed by the Secretary of State for Defence. Warrant officers are not saluted, because they do not hold the King's Commission, but they are addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by subordinates. Commissioned officers may address warrant officers either by their appointment or as "Mister", "Mrs" or "Ms", and then their last name, e.g. "Mr Smith". Although often referred to along with non-commissioned officers (NCOs), they are not NCOs, but members of a separate group, although all have been promoted from NCO rank.
The Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) is the senior RAF appointment for a warrant officer (WO), and therefore the most senior non-commissioned appointment in the Royal Air Force (RAF). The person holding this military appointment advises the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF. The post was created in 1996 as the Chief of the Air Staff’s Warrant Officer. The post was re-titled Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force (WORAF) on 1 July 2021.
Squadron Leader Clive Alan Martland, is a Royal Air Force officer who was formerly the most senior Warrant officer of the RAF. Having served for most of his career as a Physical Training Instructor, he was the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer from 2014 until 2016. He was, therefore, the most senior member of the other ranks of the RAF.
The aircrews of RAF Bomber Command during World War II operated a fleet of bomber aircraft carried strategic bombing operations from September 1939 to May 1945, on behalf of the Allied powers. The crews were men from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and occupied Europe, especially Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. While the majority of Bomber Command personnel were members of the RAF, many belonged to other air forces – especially the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). Under Article XV of the 1939 Air Training Agreement, squadrons belonging officially to the RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF were formed, equipped and financed by the RAF, for service in Europe. While it was intended that RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF personnel would serve only with their respective "Article XV squadrons", in practice many were posted to units of the RAF or other air forces. Likewise many RAF personnel served in Article XV squadrons.
Lieutenant Commander Carl P. "Speedy" Steedman is a Royal Navy officer, who served as Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy, the most senior non-commissioned advisor and senior rating of the Royal Navy from 31 January 2020 to July 2022.