On Friday 21 September 2007 General Sir Richard Dannatt (Chief of the General Staff) gave a presentation at the IISS as part of the Military Leaders Forum.
A recording of General Dannatt's speech is available. A transcript of the address is also available in the related documents section below.
General Sir Richard Dannatt was commissioned into The Green Howards in 1971. He has served with the 1st Battalion in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Germany and commanded the Battalion in the Airmobile role from 1989 to 1991. From 1994 to1996 he commanded 4th Armoured Brigade in Germany and Bosnia. He took command of 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in January 1999, and also served in Kosovo that year as Commander British Forces. In 2000 he returned to Bosnia as the Deputy Commander Operations of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR). From 2001 to 2002 he was the Assistant Chief of the General Staff in the Ministry of Defence before taking command of NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). In March 2005 he took over as Commander-in-Chief Land Command, and assumed the appointment of Chief of the General Staff in August 2006.
General Sir Richard Dannatt was born on 23 December 1950 and was educated at Felsted School and St Lawrence College. He and his wife, Philippa, have their permanent home in Norfolk and are both graduates of Durham University. Married in 1977, they have three sons and a daughter. One of their sons is currently serving with The Grenadier Guards. In addition to his current appointment, General Dannatt is Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps. He is President of the Army Rifle Association, the Army Rugby Union, the Army Winter Sports Association, the Soldiers’ and Airmens’ Scripture Readers Association, and a Vice President of the Armed Forces’ Christian Union. He enjoys all sports, in particular cricket, rugby, tennis, skiing, shooting and fishing.
The Military Leaders Forum has been established to provide a platform for international military officials to address some of the critical issues and ideas affecting war and peace in the twenty-first century.
The IISS Military Leaders’ Forum is made possible through the generous support of KBR
