Military career
Carleton-Smith was commissioned into the Irish Guards on 3 September 1982, [8] before going up to Durham, graduating as BA. He was promoted to lieutenant on 6 September 1985 (with seniority from 9 April), [9] then to captain on 9 April 1989, [10] and then to major on 30 September 1995. [11] After operational service in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, he was deployed to the Gulf War in 1991, [12] and then saw active service as an SAS squadron commander in Bosnia later in the 1990s. [13]
Carleton-Smith became Chief of Staff of 19 Mechanized Brigade in 1999 and served as Chief of Staff HQ Multi-National Brigade Centre during the Kosovo War later that year. [12] In recognition of his military service in Kosovo, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours, [14] and then awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service on 3 November 2000. [15]
Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 2001, [16] Carleton-Smith became Military Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief, Land Forces, [12] becoming Commanding Officer of 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 2002. After serving during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and also during operations in Afghanistan, [13] he was advanced Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 23 April 2004. [17] Promoted colonel on 30 June 2005, [18] he became Deputy Director Policy Planning at the Ministry of Defence at that time. [12]
Promoted to brigadier on 31 December 2006 with seniority from 30 June 2006, [19] Carleton-Smith became commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade that year and was deployed to Afghanistan as commander of Task Force Helmand and commander of British Forces there in April 2008. [20] In August 2008 he led Operation Eagle's Summit, which involved a daring foray into Taliban territory. [21] He was promoted Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services in Afghanistan on 6 March 2009. [22]
Carleton-Smith became Director of Army Plans and Resources at the Ministry of Defence in January 2009 and, following promotion to major general on 20 February 2012, [23] he became Director Special Forces. [24] In July 2022, the BBC published a report alleging evidence that "SAS operatives in Afghanistan repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men in suspicious circumstances," while Carleton-Smith, then Director Special Forces, "failed to pass on evidence to [the] murder inquiry" [25] which was being conducted by the Royal Military Police. [26]
Appointed Director of Strategy at the Army Headquarters in March 2015, [27] he became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) on 18 April 2016 being promoted to lieutenant general with effect from the same date. [28] On 11 June 2018 he was further promoted to the rank of general, succeeding General Sir Nick Carter as Chief of the General Staff, [29] [30] being appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2019 New Year Honours. [31] Succeeded as Chief of the General Staff by General Sir Patrick Sanders in June 2022, [1] Carleton-Smith was promoted Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2023 Birthday Honours. [32]
Carleton-Smith served as Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Irish Guards from 18 March 2012 [33] for ten years, [34] and as Honorary Colonel of Oxford University Officers Training Corps between February 2017 and June 2022. [35] [36]
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