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In 1963, the three independent service ministries (Admiralty, War Office
and Air Ministry) were merged to form the present MoD.
The UK MoD is the government department that is responsible for all
defence related aspects of national policy. This large organisation, which
directly affects the lives of about half a million servicemen, reservists
and MoD employed civilians, is controlled by The Secretary of State for
Defence and his deputies.
The Secretary of State for Defence has three principal deputies:
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Minister of State for the Armed Forces
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Minister of State for Defence Equipment and
Support
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Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Defence and Minister for Veteran’s Affairs
The Secretary of State is assisted by two
principal advisers:
Permanent Under Secretary of State (PUS): The PUS is responsible
for policy, finance and administration in the MoD. As the MoD’s Principal
Accounting Officer he is personally responsible to Parliament for the
expenditure of all public money voted to the MoD for Defence purposes.
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS): The CDS acts as the professional
head of the Armed Forces and he is the principal military adviser to the
Secretary of State and to the Government.
Both the PUS and the CDS have deputies; the Second Permanent Under
Secretary of State (2nd PUS), and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS).
In general terms defence is managed through a number of major committees
that provide corporate leadership and strategic direction:
Defence Council
The Defence Council is the senior committee which provides the legal basis
for the conduct and administration of defence and this council is chaired
by the Secretary of State for Defence, The composition of the Defence
Council is as follows:
The Secretary of State for Defence
Minister of State for the Armed Forces
Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Defence and Minister for Veteran’s Affairs
Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence
Chief of the Defence Staff
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff and First Sea Lord
Chief of the Air Staff
Chief of the General Staff
Chief of Defence Procurement
Chief Scientific Adviser
Second Permanent Under Secretary of State
Defence Management Board
This board is chaired by the PUS and is the MoD’s senior non-ministerial
committee. In essence the Defence Management Board is the MoD’s main
corporate board providing senior leadership and direction to the
implementation of defence policy.
Chiefs of Staff Committee
This committee is chaired by the CDS and is the MoD’s senior committee
that provides advice on operational military matters and the preparation
and conduct of military operations.
Single Service Boards
There are three single service boards: Admiralty Board, Army Board and the
Air Force Board all of which are chaired by the Secretary of State for
Defence. In general the purpose of the boards is the administration and
monitoring of single service performance. Each of these three boards has
an executive committee chaired by the single service chief of staff; Navy
Board, Executive Committee of the Army Board and the Air Force Board
Standing Committee.
Chief of The Defence Staff
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the officer responsible to the
Secretary of State for Defence for the coordinated effort of all three
fighting services. He has his own Central Staff Organisation and a Vice
Chief of the Defence Staff who ranks as number four in the services
hierarchy, following the three single service commanders. The current
Chief of the Defence Staff is:
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR JOCK STIRRUP KCB AFC
ADC FRAES FCMI RAF
Air Chief Marshal Stirrup was educated at Merchant Taylors' School,
Northwood and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, and was commissioned
in 1970.
After a tour as a Qualified Flying Instructor he served on loan with the
Sultan of Oman's Air Force, operating Strikemasters in the Dhofar War.
Returning to the United Kingdom in 1975 he was posted to No 41(F)
Squadron, flying Jaguars in the Fighter Reconnaissance role, before taking
up an exchange appointment on RF-4C Phantoms in the United States. He then
spent two years at RAF Lossiemouth as a flight commander on the Jaguar
Operational Conversion Unit, and subsequently attended the Joint Service
Defence College in 1984. He commanded No II(AC) Squadron, flying Fighter
Reconnaissance Jaguars from Royal Air Force Laarbruch, until 1987 when he
took up the post of Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff.
He assumed command of Royal Air Force Marham in 1990, just in time for
Operation GRANBY, and then attended the 1993 Course at the Royal College
of Defence Studies. He completed No 7 Higher Command and Staff Course at
Camberley prior to becoming the Director of Air Force Plans and Programmes
in 1994. He became Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group in April 1997 and was
appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in August 1998. He took up the
appointment of Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command in 2000. At the
same time he assumed the additional roles of Commander of NATO's Combined
Air Operations Centre 9 and Director of the European Air Group. He spent
the last few months of his tour, from September 2001 to January 2002, as
UK National Contingent Commander and Senior British Military Advisor to
CINCUSCENTCOM for Operation VERITAS, the UK's contribution to the United
States led Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan.
Air Chief Marshal Stirrup was appointed KCB in the New Year Honours List
2002 and became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability)
in March 2002. He was appointed Chief of the Air Staff, on promotion, on 1
August 2003 and in March 2005 was appointed as the Chief of the Defence
Staff during 2007, following the retirement of General Sir Michael Walker.
Air Chief Marshal Stirrup is married with one son and enjoys golf, music,
theatre and history.
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