General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE AdC Gen

General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE was commissioned in 1973. After early service in the Infantry he commanded the 2nd Battalion the Royal Green Jackets from 1994-1995.

His staff training includes the Army Staff Course in 1986, the Higher Command and Staff Course in 1996 and The Royal College of Defence Studies in 2002. He has held two staff appointments in the Ministry of Defence. He commanded 20th Armoured Brigade from 1997 to 1999, this included some time in Bosnia, and he was GOC 2nd Division and Governor of Edinburgh Castle from 2002-2004. He has been both the Deputy Commandant (1999-2001) and the Commandant of the Joint Staff College (2004-2005).

Senior operational tour posts include the commander of UK Joint Task Force and advisor to the President of Sierra Leone in 2001, and Deputy Commanding General (UK) Multi-National Corps Iraq from August 2005 to February 2006. He was the last GOC Northern Ireland during Operation BANNER from 2006 to 2007 and was then Commander Regional Forces for 2 years from August 2007. Most recently, he held the position of Deputy Commander for the International Security Assistance Force (DCOM ISAF) in Afghanistan between November 2009 and September 2010.

General Parker was appointed as Commander In Chief land Forces in October 2010. In Line with recent changes in the Army’s top level command and control structures in November 2011. General Parker’s title changed from Commander in Chief Land Forces to Commander land Forces. He is Colonel Commandant of The Rifles and is the Operational Commander for Defence’s contribution to the Olympics.

He is married to Beccy and has two sons; his interests include fishing and Coronation Street.