Martin Sampson

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Martin Sampson
Aroldo Lazaro Saenz and Martin Sampson (Sampson cropped).jpg
Sampson in 2023
Nickname(s)Sammy
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Air Force
Years of service1986 - 2024
Rank Air Marshal
Commands No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group
RAF Coningsby
No. 1 (F) Squadron RAF
Battles / wars Iraq War
Operation Shader
War in Afghanistan
Awards Companion of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order

Air Marshal Martin Elliot Sampson, CB , CBE , DSO is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, last serving as UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa. [1]

Contents

RAF career

Sampson was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 23 October 1986 as an acting pilot officer. [2] He was regraded as a pilot officer on 23 October 1987. [3] After passing pilot training he flew the SEPECAT Jaguar for 3 years until moving over to the Harrier jump jet following the Gulf War. He was a Qualified Weapons Instructor on the Harrier and flew over 500 missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and Kosovo. He served 3 years with the United States Marine Corps on an exchange tour flying the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II and the F-5. [4]

He became air officer commanding No. 1 Squadron in 2004, during that period the Harrier GR9 was brought into frontline service, with numerous carrier deployments and multiple tours in Afghanistan to support Operation Herrick. [4] In December 2008, he was promoted to group captain and became Assistant Head Joint Strike and ISTAR. In 2010, Sampson became station commander at RAF Coningsby as the RAF Typhoon Force Commander. During that time he was deployed to Gioia Del Colle, Italy as a part of Operation Unified Protector and served as Expeditionary Air Wing Commander for the RAF fast jet operations over Libyan airspace. Additionally, Sampson flew 2 seasons with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flying Spitfires and Hurricanes. [4]

In November 2012, he was promoted to air commodore and appointed Joint Force Air Component Commander. In 2014 he assumed command of the No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group and the position of UK Air Component Commander. He commanded all RAF operations over Iraq and Syria during Operation Shader. [5]

In February 2021, he was promoted to air marshal and appointed serving as UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa. [1] He retired from the Royal Air Force on 30 July 2024. [6]

Honours and decorations

In 2006, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in recognition of his command of the Harrier Squadron during two tours in Afghanistan. [7] On 21 April 2017, Sampson was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field during the period 1 April to 30 September 2016". [8] [9] In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). [10] [11]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Senior Appointments". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "No. 50806". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 January 1987. p. 770.
  3. ↑ "No. 51128". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 November 1987. p. 14450.
  4. 1 2 3 "UK's Ministry of Defence appoints a new defence senior military adviser to Middle East and North Africa". zaywa.com. zaywa. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  5. ↑ Stocker-Kelly, Joanne (8 May 2021). ""I started my journey with the Kurdistan Region": Q&A with UK DSAME Air Marshal Martin "Sammy" Sampson". www.kurdistan24.net. Kurdistan24. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "No. 64503". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 2024. p. 16959.
  7. ↑ "Honoured for bravery and service on operations". wired-gov.net. Ministry of Defence. 8 September 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Operational Honours and Awards List: 21 April 2017". www.gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "No. 61908". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 April 2017. p. 8515.
  10. ↑ "The Military division of The King's Birthday Honours List 2024". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "No. 64423". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2024. p. B3.
Military offices
Preceded by
Unknown
 Officer Commanding No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron
2004–2006		Succeeded by
K A Lewis
Preceded by
J Hitchcock
 Station Commander RAF Coningsby
2010–2012		Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group
2014–2016


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