Care after Combat has announced that former Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Andrew Pulford KCB CBE ADC RAF DL, has become Patron to the charity.
Welcoming Sir Andrew (Andy) to the team, Dave Rogers – Chair of Trustees for Care after Combat, said: “I am delighted that Sir Andy Pulford has accepted our invitation to become Patron of Care after Combat. He brings a wealth of operational experience to the role including an understanding of operational pressures. He is well-respected in military circles, and I look forward to working alongside Andy in the coming months.”
Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford joined the Royal Air Force in 1977 as a Support Helicopter pilot. During his flying career he accumulated over 5000 hours on both Wessex and Chinook helicopters, serving primarily in Germany but including exchange tours with the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. He has seen operational service in Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands, Lebanon, the Balkans and the Gulf.
Sir Andrew enjoyed a wide variety of junior ground appointments including staff posts in Headquarters Northern Ireland and the British Army’s doctrine organisation, and two years as Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff. As Station Commander of Royal Air Force Odiham, he commanded the UK Chinook Force through a period of unprecedented operational activity, including large scale deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
His senior appointments included: Director of Air Resources and Plans; command of the Royal Air Force’s Air Transport, Air-to-Air Refuelling and Surveillance forces; two years as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations); and three years as Deputy Commander Capability at Air Command, responsible for all RAF personnel and equipment procurement matters.
Sir Andrew took command of his Service as Chief of the Air Staff in July 2013 and served a full 3 years in post, overseeing the Royal Air Force’s contribution to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, and leading the successful Air input to the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015.
He joined BAE Systems as Senior Military Adviser in 2017. He is a Deputy Lord Lieutenant in his native Nottinghamshire, a trustee of the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel and Honorary President of No 209 (West Bridgford) Squadron RAF Air Cadets.