Fin Monahan

Air Vice-Marshal John Finbar Monahan OBE, DFC (born c. 1968), known as Fin Monahan, is a senior Royal Air Force officer. After training as a pilot, serving in active squadrons and exchange postings, Monahan was the commandant of the Central Flying School at RAF Cranwell, with the Red Arrows coming under his command. Monahan has trained with several non-UK militaries, and currently serves as the Director of the Air Command Operating Model Programme.

Fin Monahan
Born1967 or 1968 (age 55–56)[1]
Liverpool, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1991–present
RankAir Vice-Marshal
Service number2634301T
Commands heldDevelopment, Concepts and Doctrine Centre
Central Flying School
Cambridge University Air Squadron
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross

RAF career

Monahan was born in Liverpool. He joined the Royal Air Force in September 1991, after serving with the East Lowlands Universities Air Squadron.[2] On graduation from pilot training, he was posted to No. 4 Squadron flying the Harrier jump jet at RAF Laarbruch in Germany, during which he flew missions over Bosnia and Kosovo.[3][4] After Germany, he was posted to RAF Valley in North Wales, and then served in an exchange role with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, flying Skyhawk aircraft from RNZAF Base Ohakea.[4][5] Whilst serving as a pilot with No. 1 Squadron in Afghanistan, Monahan was called upon to run a mission at very short notice in support of Australian special forces. He went on the mission alone and was later awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross.[6]

In 2007, Monahan took command of Cambridge University Air Squadron.[4] He then spent a year training at the Defence Services Staff College in India and,[7] on returning to the UK, took up a post in charge of operations at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire.[8] Monahan was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2014 New Year Honours.[9][10]

Between 2016 and 2018, Monahan was the Commandant of the Central Flying School at RAF Cranwell.[11] Monahan was promoted to air commodore in December 2019 as "Head Doctrine (Air, Space and Cyber) in the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre" at the Defence Academy at Shrivenham.[12] He was promoted to air vice-marshal on 10 October 2022, on appointment as director of the centre.[13]

Personal life

Monahan was diagnosed with myeloma in 2009 and underwent bone marrow transplants at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The diagnosis was first confirmed when he was undergoing training at the staff college in India. He was diagnosed again in 2015 and was successfully treated, allowing him to return to duty, whereupon he became the commandant of the Central Flying School.[14][15]

Monahan is married with three children. In 2021, he was made the patron of a myeloma cancer charity in Lancashire.[9][14][16][17]

References
  1. Monahan, Fin (Autumn 2019). "It Happened to Me: I Thought I Might Never Fly Again". RM Magazine. p. 17. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  2. "No. 52726". The London Gazette. 26 November 1991. p. 18092.
  3. "Virtual Lecture: The Power of RAF Organisational Culture". rafmuseum.org.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. Kirke, Charles, ed. (2012). Fratricide in battle : (Un)friendly fire. London, England: Continuum International. p. xvii. ISBN 978-1-4411-6164-2.
  5. "Project ENTERTAIN". rafa.ork.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  6. "Pilot's charity challenge". Darlington and Stockton Times. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  7. "'The whole point of armed forces across the world is to avoid war'". Business Standard India. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  8. "[p]ilot who beat cancer takes on new challengte[sic]". The Northern Echo. 20 November 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  9. "No. 60728". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 31 December 2013. p. N6.
  10. "New Year honours 2014: the full list". The Guardian. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  11. "PHOTO GALLERY: Royal visit to review graduating officers at RAF Cranwell today (Thursday)". The Seaford Standard. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  12. "Royal Air Force". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  13. "No. 63875". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 November 2022. p. 21746.
  14. O’Neill, Sean (14 December 2018). "Red Arrows commander still flying high after speedy cancer scan saved him cancer". The Times. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  15. "Myeloma – early diagnosis | The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust". www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  16. Foster, Mark (23 January 2013). "Pilot who fought back from cancer". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  17. Lopez, Jamie (14 January 2021). "Fin named patron saint of Myeloma Group". infoweb.newsbank.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
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