Paul_Godfrey_(RAF_officer)

Paul Godfrey (RAF officer)

Paul Godfrey (RAF officer)

Royal Air Force officer

Air Vice-Marshal Paul Alexander Godfrey, OBE is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who serves as the first commander of the United Kingdom Space Command.[1]

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Early life and education

Godfrey grew up in RAF Kenley, south of London. He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift, then an all-boys private school in the London Borough of Croydon. While at school, he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force, and gained his private pilot licence at 17.[2]

Military career

Godfrey was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 9 May 1991.[3] He served as a Harrier jump jet pilot.[4] In 2006, while holding the rank of squadron leader, he was awarded the Air Medal by the president of the United States "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Iraq".[5] He became station commander at RAF Lossiemouth in November 2015.[6]

Godfrey (left) with Gen. James Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander (right), in April 2022

In February 2021, it was announced that he would become the first Commander, United Kingdom Space Command.[1] He took up the post on 8 March 2021 and was promoted to the rank of air vice-marshal.[7] In June 2024, he will take up the post of Director Capability at Strategic Command.[8]

Godfrey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours.[9]

References

  1. [1]
    "Air Commodore Paul Godfrey announced as Commander United Kingdom Space Command". Ministry of Defence. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  2. [2]
    "From Croydon to Space Command: Air Vice-Marshal Godfrey on the final frontier". RAF Benevolent Fund. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  3. [3]
    "No. 52609". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 July 1991. p. 11211.
  4. [4]
    "First Experience of Flying". RAF Stories. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  5. [5]
    "No. 58092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 September 2006. p. 12274.
  6. [6]
    "Command of RAF Lossie handed over". Northern Scot. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. [7]
    "No. 63344". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 May 2021. p. 8440.
  8. [8]
    "2023 Senior Appointments". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023. Air Vice-Marshal P A Godfrey OBE to be Director Capability in June 2024 in succession to Major General R J Anderton-Brown.
  9. [9]
    "No. 60895". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2014. p. b8.
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