Allegiance United Kingdom | Name Mark Carleton-Smith Years of service 1982– | |
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Commands held 22 Special Air Service Regiment16 Air Assault Brigade Awards Order of the British Empire Battles and wars Kosovo War, Iraq War, War in Afghanistan | ||
Lieutenant-General Mark Alexander Popham Carleton-Smith CBE (born 9 February 1964) is a senior British Army officer who has previously served as Director Special Forces. He became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) with effect from 18 April 2016.
Military career
Carleton-Smith was educated at Eton College and commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1982. After serving as a Brigade Chief-of-Staff during the Kosovo War, he became Commanding Officer of 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 2002 and saw service in that role in Iraq and Afghanistan. He became Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade in 2007 and was deployed to Afghanistan as Commander of Task Force Helmand and Commander of British Forces there in April 2008. In August 2008 he led Operation Eagle's Summit which involved a daring foray into Taliban territory.
He became Director of Army Plans and Resources at the Ministry of Defence in January 2009, Director Special Forces in February 2012 and Director of Strategy at the Ministry of Defence in March 2015. He became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) with effect from 18 April 2016 and was promoted to lieutenant-general that same date.
