{{short description|British Royal Air Force officer (born 1968)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox military person | name = Jake Alpert | image = CASWO_Jake_Alpert_1.jpg | caption = | nickname = | birth_date = | birth_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = Royal Air Force | service_years = 1988–2025 | rank = Warrant Officer | service_number = | unit = | commands = Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force | battles = The Troubles<br/>Gulf War<br/>Iraq War<br/>War in Afghanistan | awards = Member of the Order of the British Empire | spouse = | relations = }} Warrant Officer '''Jake Alpert''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} is a retired senior warrant officer in the Royal Air Force, who served as Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force from 2019 to 2023. Therefore, he was the most senior non-commissioned officer in the RAF.<ref name="WORAF Bio">{{cite web|title=Warrant Office of the Royal Air Force|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-commanders/warrant-officer-of-the-royal-air-force/|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=www.RAF.mod.uk|accessdate=21 October 2021}}</ref>
==Military career== Alpert joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1988. He completed his first tour while with No. 15 Squadron RAF Regiment at RAF Hullavington. Upon completion of the Pre-Parachute Selection Course and the Basic Parachute course, he went on his first operational tour to Northern Ireland. He then moved to No. II Squadron RAF Regiment serving with them for 11 years at multiple bases and took on further operational tours.<ref name="WORAF Bio"/>
In 2001, he was posted to the RAF Force Protection (FP) Centre on promotion to sergeant. He then completed the All Arms Commando Course and was subsequently awarded the Commandants' Certificate in 2004. He was then assigned to 45 Commando Royal Marines as the troop sergeant. He completed two tours with the Royal Marines during that time.<ref name="WORAF Bio"/>
In 2008, Alpert was promoted to flight sergeant and rejoined No. II Squadron. He was subsequently deployed back to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX as an Intelligence Surveillance Recognition Manager. He was promoted to warrant officer in 2010 and served as the Station Warrant Officer (SWO) at RAF Shawbury and served as OC FP Training Flight. In 2011, he returned to II Squadron as the WO in charge of the RAF security unit deployed on Camp Bastion.<ref name="WORAF Bio"/>
In 2013, he once again returned to Afghanistan as garrison sergeant major of Kandahar Air Field. In 2015, Alpert was selected for the RAF's Executive Warrant Officer employment program, while serving as the station warrant officer at RAF Halton. He received the Meritorious Service Medal for his services.<ref name="WORAF Bio"/>
In 2017, Alpert was appointed Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Allied Air Command and completed several command courses. In October 2019, he was appointed to the role of Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force;<ref name="NewCOASWO">{{cite web|title=Thank you WO Jon Crossley. A brilliant 3 years as Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer. Welcome WO Jake Alpert|url=https://twitter.com/ChiefofAirStaff/status/1180179485519429632|work=Michael Wigston|publisher=www.twitter.com|accessdate=21 October 2021}}</ref> when first appointed, the position was known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer.<ref name="WORAF Bio"/> He left the office of WORAF in April 2023.<ref name="NewWORAF">{{cite web|title=Congratulations to Warrant Officer Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam, who has been appointed as Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force in succession to Warrant Officer Jake Alpert.|url=https://twitter.com/RoyalAirForce/status/1643540694387109889|work=Royal Air Force|publisher=www.twitter.com|accessdate=27 April 2023}}</ref>
==Honours and decorations== In 2016, during his time at RAF Halton Alpert was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. The medal is awarded for "meritorious service by those military members who are of irreproachable character with at least 20 years of service and already hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal of their service".<ref name="Meritorious Service Medal">{{cite web|title=Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility|url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibility#current-meritorious-and-long-service-medals|work=GOV UK|publisher=gov.uk|accessdate=21 October 2021}}</ref> In 2019, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire.<ref name="Member of the Order of the British Empire Appointment">{{cite web|title=Order of the British Empire|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3294063|work=The London Gazette|publisher=thegazette.co.uk|accessdate=21 October 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Jon Crossley}} {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer}}|years=2019 - 2021}} {{s-aft|after=Post Renamed}} |- {{s-bef|before=Post Renamed}} {{s-ttl|title=Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force|years=2021 - 2023}} {{s-aft|after=Murugesvaran Subramaniam}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alpert, Jake}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Royal Air Force airmen Category:Warrant Officers of the Royal Air Force Category:British military personnel of the Troubles (Northern Ireland) Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the Iraq War Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire