Early career

In 1988, Haughton joined the British Army as a guardsman in the Grenadier Guards.^[4] During his career he has served a number of overseas posting and was involved in a number of conflicts including the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.^[5] He was appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in 2011. This meant he became the most senior soldier of the regiment.^[4]

In 2010, Haughton was selected for a Late Entry Commission (i.e. he was a senior serving soldier selected to become a commissioned officer). However, he was chosen to continue working as one of the army's most senior warrant officers rather than immediately take up the role of a staff officer.^[4] On 9 December 2013, he was commissioned into the British Army with the rank of captain but continued serving in the rank of warrant officer class 1.^[6] He was appointed academy sergeant major of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in January 2014.^[1]

Senior appointments

In January 2014, Haughton was appointed academy sergeant major, one of the most senior warrant officer appointments in the British Army.

In March 2015, he was appointed Army Sergeant Major, making him the most senior warrant officer/other ranks soldier in the British Army. As the Army Sergeant Major, he was the only soldier (and the first) to be a member of the Army Board.^[4]

On 1 November 2018, Haughton was appointed as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee.^[7] Although he continues to serve as a warrant officer class 1 in this position, he was promoted to major on 31 July 2019.^[8]