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 | 30 September 1958 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1981–2013 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Commands held | No. 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/wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Commander 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]
References
- Supplement to The London Gazette of Thursday, 8 April 1982 (No. 48947) retrieved 8 April 1982
- RAF College Cranwell gets new commandant retrieved 9 April 2008
- Second Supplement to The London Gazette of Monday, 27 July 1992 (No. 53002) retrieved 26 December 2019
- Incident BAe Harrier T.4A XZ147, 25 Sep 1991 retrieved 26 December 2019
- incident BAe Harrier II ZD355, 17 Oct 1990 retrieved 26 December 2019
- Harriers return from Sierra Leone retrieved 11 June 2000
- Royal Air Force Officer Promotions – 1 July 2007 retrieved 1 July 2007
- Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 9/06 retrieved 13 October 2006
- Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 2/07 retrieved 21 February 2007
- Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 08/07 retrieved 11 October 2007
- "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 |