Melanie Robinson

Last updated

Commodore

Melanie Robinson

CBE ADC
Commodore Melanie Robinson.jpg
Commodore Melanie Robinson in February 2020
Birth nameMelanie Suzanne Rees [1]
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
Years of service1993–2023
Rank Commodore
Commands Maritime Reserve
HMS Express
Wales University Royal Naval Unit
Awards Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Alma mater Cardiff University
Open University
Spouse
​
(m. 1998)​

Commodore Melanie SuzanneRobinson, CBE , ADC is a retired British senior Royal Naval Reserve officer. She was Commander of Maritime Reserves from February 2020 until retirement in July 2023. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Robinson has a degree from Cardiff University. [3] She also has a Master of Science (MSc) degree in human resource management from the Open University. [4]

She was commissioned in Supplementary List of the Royal Navy as a sub-lieutenant on 6 January 1993. [5] She was appointed to the Trained Strength on 15 October 1994. [5] Her early career was as a warfare officer, serving in a number of frigates and minor war vessels. [3]

As commander of the Cardiff University Royal Naval Unit (now Wales URNU) and its training ship HMS Express, despite her claim to be the first (https://windsorleadership.org.uk/mel-robinson-biography), she was one of the first cohort of women to command a Royal Navy patrol vessel- still a remarkable achievement, so no need to over-egg it. [3] [6] [7] She transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve with the rank of commander in November 2015. [8] She was promoted to commodore on 4 February 2020, and was then one of four women to hold that rank. [6] [9]

Robinson was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2022 Birthday Honours. [10]

Personal life

Robinson family in 2023 Royal Navy Robinson family.jpg
Robinson family in 2023

In 1998, she married Guy Robinson. [1] [11] Vice Admiral Robinson is a fellow retired Royal Navy officer whose last draft was with NATO as Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. [12] They have two children. [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Robinson, Vice Adm. Guy Antony, (born 9 April 1967), Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO, since 2021". Who's Who 2024 . Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "Maritime Reserves welcome new leader". Royal Navy. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "Commodore MS Robinson ADC MSc FCIPD Commander Maritime Reserves (COMMARRES)" (PDF). Royal Navy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Our student stories: Melanie Robinson". business-school.open.ac.uk. The Open University. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 "No. 53881". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 1994. pp. 17737–17738.
  6. 1 2 "New Commander of Maritime Reserves assumes command". Royal Navy. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  7. ↑ Cotterill, Tom (10 February 2020). "New head of the Royal Navy reserve plans huge shake-up of Britain's part-time force". The Portsmouth News. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "No. 61444". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 December 2015. p. 25082.
  9. ↑ "No. 62979". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 April 2020. p. 7762.
  10. ↑ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B6.
  11. 1 2 Skitt, Laura (8 October 2020). "Women At Sea: A Trailblazing Royal Navy Career". Forces Network. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  12. ↑ "Vice Admiral Guy Robinson OBE". Allied Command Transformation. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
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