{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use British English|date=December 2013}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Air Chief Marshal |name = Sir Andrew Pulford |honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCB|CBE}} |image= Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford MOD 45155744.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford {{circa}} 2013 |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date and age|1958|3|22|df=yes}} |birth_place= |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= United Kingdom |branch= Royal Air Force |service_years= 1977–2016 |rank= Air Chief Marshal |service_number= |unit= |commands= Chief of the Air Staff (2013–16)<br/>Air Member for Personnel (2010–13)<br/>No.&nbsp;2 Group (2007–08)<br/>RAF Odiham (2001–03)<br/>No.&nbsp;18 Squadron (1996–98) |battles= {{tree list}} * Falklands War * Operation Banner * Iraq War ** Operation Telic {{tree list/end}} |awards= Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath<br>Commander of the Order of the British Empire |relations= |other_work= }} Air Chief Marshal '''Sir Andrew Douglas Pulford''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GCB|CBE}} (born 22 March 1958<ref name=WW/>) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. A helicopter pilot with operational service in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War and Iraq War, Pulford commanded RAF Odiham and No.&nbsp;2 Group, and served as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Operations, before taking up the post of Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel at Air Command and Air Member for Personnel in 2010. He became Chief of the Air Staff on 31 July 2013, retiring from the Royal Air Force on 12 July 2016.

==Early life== Born the son of Douglas and Jean Pulford, Pulford was educated at Magnus Grammar School in Newark.<ref name=WW>''Who's Who 2010'', A & C Black, 2010, {{ISBN|978-1-408-11414-8}}</ref>

==RAF career== [[File:1967-05-27-Flugschau-Guetersloh-6.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Westland Wessex, a helicopter type flown by Pulford in the late 1970s]] Pulford joined the Royal Air Force as an acting pilot officer in January 1977,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47154|supp=y|page=2473|date=21 February 1977}}</ref><ref name="RAF CAS">{{cite web|editor=Mike Drewett|date=31 July 2013|url=http://www.RAF.mod.uk/news/archive/helicopter-pilot-becomes-cas-31072013|title=Helicopter Pilot becomes CAS|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=28 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805190909/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/helicopter-pilot-becomes-cas-31072013|archive-date=5 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> joining No. 72 Squadron,<ref>{{cite book|title=Air Force Leadership: Whole Force Reality|publisher=RAF Leadership Centre|ISBN=978-0-9928097-2-0|date=2015}}</ref> before spending many of his 5,000 flying hours piloting Chinooks with No.&nbsp;18 Squadron from RAF Odiham.<ref name="RAF CAS"/><ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.RAF.mod.uk/organisation/amp.cfm|title=Air Member for Personnel & Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118121122/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/amp.cfm|archive-date=18 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was regraded to pilot officer in January 1978,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47451|supp=y|page=1267|date=30 January 1978}}</ref> and then promoted to flying officer in January 1979,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47763|supp=y|page=1637|date=5 February 1979}}</ref> and flight lieutenant in July 1981;<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48702|supp=y|page=10372|date=11 August 1981}}</ref> seeing service in the Falklands War<ref name="RAF CAS"/> with C Flight on board RFA ''Tidespring'', while on exchange service with the Royal Navy in 1982.<ref name=WW/> He had an exchange tour with the Royal Australian Air Force between 1985 and 1987.<ref name=WW/> Promoted squadron leader in January 1987,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=50793|supp=y|page=72|date=5 January 1987}}</ref> and to wing commander in January 1994,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=53537|supp=y|page=20689|date=31 December 1993}}</ref> he became Officer Commanding No.&nbsp;18 Squadron in 1996, and Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff in 1999.<ref name=WW/>

Promoted to group captain in January 2000,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=55722|supp=y|page=13841|date=4 January 2000}}</ref> Pulford took the Higher Command and Staff Course at Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, in 2001, before becoming Station Commander at RAF Odiham in December 2001 and being deployed as Commander Joint Helicopter Force Headquarters for Operation Telic in Iraq.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.TimRipley.co.uk/articles/iraq_war.pdf|publisher=Flight International|title=Battle Proven|accessdate=27 January 2013}}</ref> Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2004 Birthday Honours,<ref name=cbe>{{London Gazette|issue=57315|supp=y|page=6|date=12 June 2004}}</ref> he was made Director Air Resources and Plans at the Ministry of Defence in August 2004 and, after being promoted to air commodore in January 2005,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=57521|supp=y|page=16360|date=4 January 2005}}</ref> he became Air Officer Commanding No.&nbsp;2 Group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.RAF.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/03842F2D_1143_EC82_2E9354529F6416D2.doc|title=RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/06 of 21 August 2006|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004033615/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/03842F2D_1143_EC82_2E9354529F6416D2.doc|archive-date=4 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> with the rank of air vice marshal in February 2007.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=58245|supp=y|page=2084|date=13 February 2007}}</ref> thumb|200px|Air Marshal Pulford in RAF No.3 Dress (MTP)

Pulford then served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) from September 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.RAF.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/552FF238_1143_EC82_2EB93D60DD9287DF.doc|title=RAF Air Rank Appointments List 01/08 of 4 January 2008|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208065905/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/552FF238_1143_EC82_2EB93D60DD9287DF.doc|archive-date=8 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> until his appointment as Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Personnel) at Air Command and Air Member for Personnel, based at RAF High Wycombe,<ref name="RAF CAS"/> with the rank of air marshal in September 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.RAF.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/4A09776A_5056_A318_A8D4188BAF2A8399.doc|title=RAF Air Rank Appointments List 04/10 of 18 June 2010|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=27 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208065616/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/4A09776A_5056_A318_A8D4188BAF2A8399.doc|archive-date=8 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Pulford was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2013 New Year Honours.<ref name="RAF CAS"/><ref name=kcb>{{London Gazette|issue=60367|date=29 December 2012|page=2|supp=y}}</ref> He was also promoted to air chief marshal on taking up the appointment of Chief of the Air Staff in July 2013,<ref name="RAF CAS"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60575|supp=y|page=14490|date=23 July 2013}}</ref> the first helicopter pilot ever to be professional head of the Royal Air Force.<ref name="RAF CAS"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.Gov.uk/government/news/new-senior-military-officers-appointed|title=New senior military officers appointed|publisher=Inside Government|date=24 January 2013|accessdate=24 January 2013}}</ref> As of 2015, Pulford was paid a salary of between £175,000 and £179,999 by the department, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview|title=Senior officials 'high earners' salaries as at 30 September 2015|date=17 December 2015|website=www.Gov.uk|accessdate=13 March 2016|archive-date=4 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504113001/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492289/150K_senior_salaries.csv/preview|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2016 New Year Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61450|supp=y|page=N3|date=30 December 2015}}</ref> Pulford received his GCB at a joint investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle along with former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, on 13 April 2016.<ref name=gcb>{{cite web|url=http://www.RoyalNavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2016/april/13/160413-joint-investiture-highlights-strength-of-royal-navy-and-royal-air-force-partnership|title=Joint investiture highlights strength of Royal Navy and Royal Air Force partnership|work=Royal Navy|publisher=RoyalNavy.mod.uk|date=13 April 2016|accessdate=14 April 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life== In 1982, Pulford married Nicola Jane Pearse; they have a son and a daughter.<ref name=WW/> Pulford's interests include military history, motorcycling, old cars and sailing.<ref name=WW/>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{commons category|Andrew D. Pulford}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Kevin Leeson}} {{s-ttl|title=Director Air Resources and Plans|years=2004–2007}} {{s-aft|after=Barry North}} |- {{s-bef|before=Iain McNicoll}} {{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group RAF|years=2007–2008}} {{s-aft|after=Stephen Hillier}} |- {{s-bef|before=Chris Nickols}} {{s-ttl|title=Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations)|years=2008–2010}} {{s-aft|after=David Capewell}} |- {{s-bef|before=Simon Bryant}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel RAF Air Command<br/>Air Member for Personnel|years=2010–2013}} {{s-aft|after=Barry North}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Stephen Dalton}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of the Air Staff|years=2013–2016}} {{s-aft|after=Sir Stephen Hillier}} {{s-end}}

{{Chief of the Air Staff}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pulford, Andrew}} Category:1958 births Category:British military personnel of the Troubles (Northern Ireland) Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Falklands War pilots Category:Helicopter pilots Category:Living people Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Category:Royal Air Force air chief marshals Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the Falklands War Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the Iraq War Category:20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Category:21st-century Royal Air Force personnel