Ashley Stevenson

Air Commodore Ashley David Stevenson, CBE, ADC (born 30 September 1958) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer and a former Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell.

Ashley David Stevenson
Stevenson in 2007
Born (1958-09-30) 30 September 1958
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1981–2013
RankAir Commodore
Commands heldNo. 83 Expeditionary Air Group (2011–12)
Royal Air Force College Cranwell (2008–10)
Kandahar Airfield (2007–08)
RAF Wittering (2005–06)
No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron (1998–00)
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCommander of the Order of the British Empire
Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct

Military career

Stevenson was commissioned into the Flying Branch as a flying officer from the ranks of the RAF on 25 February 1982.[1] He conducted his flying training in the USA on the T-37 and T-38 aircraft, completing using the Hawk in the UK.[2]

He was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1992[3] for his actions in an ejection situation following a bird strike of his two-seat Harrier T.4 on 25 September 1991, where he rescued his rear seat passenger (the first woman to eject from a British combat jet) after she landed in the aircraft's burning wreckage[4]. This was Stevenson's second ejection from a Harrier after he had ejected from a GR.5 on 17 October 1990[5].

As Officer Commanding No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, Wing Commander Stevenson commanded the detachment of Harrier GR.7 aircraft deployed during the Sierra Leone crisis,[6] the first operation conducted by the combined RAF/Royal Navy Joint Force Harrier.

Stevenson served as Station Commander RAF Wittering for two years and, on promotion to air commodore,[7] was appointed Air Commodore Force Development Headquarters in No. 1 Group on 27 November 2006.[8]

Stevenson was appointed to the newly created NATO post of Commander Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in July 2007.[9] He then became Commandant Royal Air Force College Cranwell and Director of Recruiting in April 2008.[10]

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours.[11]

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References
  1. Supplement to The London Gazette of Thursday, 8 April 1982 (No. 48947) retrieved 8 April 1982
  2. RAF College Cranwell gets new commandant retrieved 9 April 2008
  3. Second Supplement to The London Gazette of Monday, 27 July 1992 (No. 53002) retrieved 26 December 2019
  4. Incident BAe Harrier T.4A XZ147, 25 Sep 1991 retrieved 26 December 2019
  5. incident BAe Harrier II ZD355, 17 Oct 1990 retrieved 26 December 2019
  6. Harriers return from Sierra Leone retrieved 11 June 2000
  7. Royal Air Force Officer Promotions – 1 July 2007 retrieved 1 July 2007
  8. Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 9/06 retrieved 13 October 2006
  9. Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 2/07 retrieved 21 February 2007
  10. Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 08/07 retrieved 11 October 2007
  11. "No. 60173". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2012. p. 6.
Military offices
Preceded by
A.F.P. Dezonie		 Officer Commanding No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron
1998–2000		 Succeeded by
Stuart Atha
Preceded by
M. Jenkins		 Station Commander RAF Wittering
2005–2006		 Succeeded by
Ro Atherton
Preceded by
R.I. McAlpine		 Air Commodore Force Development Headquarters
2006–2007		 Succeeded by
Andy Sudlow
New creation Commander Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan
2007–2008		 Succeeded by
Bob Judson
Preceded by
R.B. Cunningham		 Commandant Royal Air Force College Cranwell
2008–2010		 Succeeded by
Paul Oborn
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