Paul Bennett | |
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![]() Rear Admiral Bennett in 2017 | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Navy |
Years of service | 1985–2022 |
Rank | Vice admiral |
Commands | Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces Commander Amphibious Task Group HMS Daring HMS Exeter HMS Atherstone HMS Biter |
Battles / wars | Iraq War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Vice Admiral Paul Martin Bennett, CB , OBE is a former senior Royal Navy officer.
Bennett was educated at Hymers College and Newcastle University. [1]
Bennett joined the Royal Navy in 1985. [2] He trained as a navigator before being given command the minehunter HMS Atherstone in 1998, the destroyer HMS Exeter in 1999 and the destroyer HMS Daring in 2008. [2] He became Commander Amphibious Task Group in May 2009, Commodore Naval Personnel Strategy in January 2011 and Director of the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre in February 2013. [3]
After that he became Chief of Staff at Joint Forces Command in September 2013 and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Capability) and Controller of the Navy in May 2016. [4] He was made Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces in November 2017, [4] which was followed by appointment as Chief of Staff of NATO Allied Command Transformation in July 2018. [5] He was succeeded by Vice Admiral Guy Robinson in September 2021, [6] and subsequently retired in February 2022. [7]
Bennett was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2007 Birthday Honours, [8] and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2016 Birthday Honours. [9]
In October 2024, Bennett became national president of the Royal British Legion. [10]