Ashley Stevenson

Stevenson was commissioned into the Flying Branch as a flying officer from the ranks of the RAF on 25 February 1982.[1] He conducted his flying training in the USA on the T-37 and T-38 aircraft, completing using the Hawk in the UK.[2]

He was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1992[3] for his actions in an ejection situation following a bird strike of his two-seat Harrier T.4 on 25 September 1991, where he rescued his rear seat passenger (the first woman to eject from a British combat jet) after she landed in the aircraft's burning wreckage.[4] This was Stevenson's second ejection from a Harrier after he had ejected from a GR.5 on 17 October 1990.[5]

As Officer Commanding No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, Wing Commander Stevenson commanded the detachment of Harrier GR.7 aircraft deployed during the Sierra Leone crisis,[6] the first operation conducted by the combined RAF/Royal Navy Joint Force Harrier.

Stevenson served as Station Commander RAF Wittering for two years and, on promotion to air commodore,[7] was appointed Air Commodore Force Development Headquarters in No. 1 Group on 27 November 2006.[8]

Stevenson was appointed to the newly created NATO post of Commander Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in July 2007.[9] He then became Commandant Royal Air Force College Cranwell and Director of Recruiting in April 2008.[10]

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours.[11]