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Douglas Chalmers

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For the Scottish academic and former communist activist, see Douglas Chalmers (politician).

Lieutenant General
Douglas Chalmers
CB DSO OBE
Lieutenant General Chalmers in 2018
Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2021
Preceded byFiona Reynolds
Personal details
Born (1966-02-26) 26 February 1966 (age 58)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
EducationReddam House, Berkshire
Alma materSchool of Advanced Military Studies
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
Years of service1984–2022
RankLieutenant General
UnitPrincess of Wales's Royal Regiment
CommandsTask Force Helmand
12th Mechanised Brigade
2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Battles/warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan
Operation Inherent Resolve
Awards

Lieutenant General Douglas McKenzie Chalmers, CB, DSO, OBE (born 26 February 1966) is a former British Army officer who served as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) from 2018 to 2021. He is currently Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Early life and education

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Chalmers was born on 26 February 1966 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[1] He grew up in England.[2] He was educated at Bearwood House, a private school in Berkshire, England.[3] Following school, he worked laying tarmac during the day and studying to re-take his A-Levels by night.[2]

Chalmers later completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the United States Army's School of Advanced Military Studies and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree from Trinity Hall, Cambridge.[1]

Military career

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Chalmers (left) at the change of command ceremony in Afghanistan, 2008

Chalmers joined the British Army in 1984 as a private.[4] Having attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Royal Irish Rangers on 9 August 1986.[5]

He became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in July 2007 and, in that role, was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan.[3] He went on to become commander of the 12th Mechanized Brigade in October 2011 and was deployed as commander of Task Force Helmand in April 2012.[3][6] After that he became the Chief of the Defence Staff's Liaison Officer to the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October 2013 and Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters in August 2014.[3]

Chalmers was deployed on Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq in September 2015,[7] and became Deputy Commanding General-Support, III Corps and Fort Hood in August 2016.[3] He was appointed Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog by the Queen of Denmark in May 2018.[8] He was promoted to lieutenant general and was appointed Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) on 18 June 2018.[9][10] He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2021 Birthday Honours.[11] Chalmers was appointed to the ceremonial position as Colonel Commandant of the Queen's Division in November 2021,[12] serving for three years until November 2024.[13] He officially retired from the British Army on 19 February 2022.[14]

Subsequent career

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In February 2021, it was announced that Chalmers would succeed Fiona Reynolds as Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.[15] He took up the post on 1 October 2021.[16]

Following a pre-appointment hearing with the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee,[17] he was announced as chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2024, succeeding Lord Evans of Weardale.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Chalmers, Lt Gen. Douglas McKenzie". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U285158. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b Duffy, Joseph (9 June 2023). "Master of Emmanuel: 'I was very worried. Perceptions, and what people think of you, matter'". Varsity Online. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Major General DM Chalmers DSO OBE" (PDF). Fort Hood. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE: Master". Emmanuel College. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  5. ^ "No. 50683". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 October 1986. pp. 13259–13260.
  6. ^ "Britain's Afghan commander: rising threat of 'green on blue' attacks". The Telegraph. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Department of Defense Press Briefing by Maj. Gen. Chalmers via teleconference in the Pentagon Press Briefing Room". Department of Defense. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  8. ^ "No. 62283". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 May 2018. p. 8435.
  9. ^ "General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine". Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  10. ^ "No. 62369". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 July 2018. p. 13550.
  11. ^ "No. 63377". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 2021. p. B2.
  12. ^ "No. 63516". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2021. p. 19475.
  13. ^ "No. 64558". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 November 2024. p. 22334.
  14. ^ "No. 63622". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 February 2022. p. 3187.
  15. ^ "Doug Chalmers elected as the next Master of Emmanuel". Emmanuel College. University of Cambridge. 11 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Fellows: Doug Chalmers". Emmanuel College. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  17. ^ "The Appointment of Douglas Chalmers CB DSO OBE as Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life - Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee".
  18. ^ "Doug Chalmers appointed as chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life". GOV.UK.
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations)
2018–2021 		Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge
2021 to present 		Incumbent
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