Ro Atherton

Group Captain Rowena Atherton was a Royal Air Force (RAF) officer.

Rowena Atherton
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1979 –
Rank	Group Captain
Commands held	RAF Wittering (2006–08)
Battles/wars	War in Afghanistan

With a logistics background, Atherton joined the RAF aged 17 in 1979 and completed training at RAF Henlow.

She was the first female Station Commander at RAF Wittering and was charged with the radical reorganisation of the Royal Air Force's logistics organisation. This included the relocation of the majority of RAF Air Combat Support Units (ACSUs) to the station and the creation of the A4 Force Headquarters.[1]

Atherton raised a national controversy when she banned RAF Wittering personnel from wearing uniform while off duty. This was in response to reports that personnel from the station were receiving abuse due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.[2]

Atherton deployed to Afghanistan in July 2008 as Deputy Commander Joint Force Support Headquarters.[3]

References

1. RAF Wittering A4 Force Headquarters A Guide to the Mission and Roles retrieved 2 January 2009
2. RAF commander who banned her personnel from wearing their uniform in a city refuses to back down retrieved 10 March 2008
3. RAF's first female Force Commander ready for Afghanistan retrieved 27 June 2008

Military offices
Preceded by Ashley Stevenson	Station Commander RAF Wittering 2006–2008	Succeeded by Paul Higgins