{{Short description|Senior Royal Air Force Officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name = Martin Sampson |image = Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz and Martin Sampson (Sampson cropped).jpg |caption = Sampson in 2023 |birth_name = |nickname = Sammy |birth_date = |birth_place = |allegiance = United Kingdom |branch = Royal Air Force |service_years = 1986 - 2024 |rank = Air Marshal |service_number = |unit = |commands = No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group<br />RAF Coningsby<br />No. 1 (F) Squadron RAF |battles = Iraq War<br />Operation Shader<br />War in Afghanistan |awards = Companion of the Order of the Bath<br/>Commander of the Order of the British Empire<br />Distinguished Service Order |alma_mater = |spouse = <!--{{marriage|name|start date|end date}}; add spouse if reliably sourced--> |children = |relations = }} Air Marshal '''Martin Elliot Sampson''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|size=100%|CB|CBE|DSO}} is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, last serving as UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa.<ref name="Appointments">{{cite web |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-appointments/ |title=Senior Appointments |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=14 January 2021 |website=raf.mod.uk |publisher=Royal Air Force |access-date=13 October 2021 }}</ref>
==RAF career== Sampson was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 23 October 1986 as an acting pilot officer.<ref name="LG 19 January 1987">{{London Gazette |issue= 50806 |date= 19 January 1987 |page= 770 |supp= y }}</ref> He was regraded as a pilot officer on 23 October 1987.<ref name="LG 23 November 1987">{{London Gazette |issue= 51128 |date= 23 November 1987 |page= 14450 |supp= y }}</ref> After passing pilot training he flew the SEPECAT Jaguar for 3 years until moving over to the Harrier jump jet following the Gulf War. He was a Qualified Weapons Instructor on the Harrier and flew over 500 missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, and Kosovo. He served 3 years with the United States Marine Corps on an exchange tour flying the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II and the F-5.<ref name="AdviserAppointment">{{cite web |url=https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/press-releases/story/UKs_Ministry_of_Defence_appoints_a_new_defence_senior_military_adviser_to_Middle_East_and_North_Africa-ZAWYA20210215105309/ |title=UK's Ministry of Defence appoints a new defence senior military adviser to Middle East and North Africa|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=15 February 2021 |website=zaywa.com |publisher=zaywa |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
He became air officer commanding No. 1 Squadron in 2004, during that period the Harrier GR9 was brought into frontline service, with numerous carrier deployments and multiple tours in Afghanistan to support Operation Herrick.<ref name=AdviserAppointment /> In December 2008, he was promoted to group captain and became Assistant Head Joint Strike and ISTAR. In 2010, Sampson became station commander at RAF Coningsby as the RAF Typhoon Force Commander. During that time he was deployed to Gioia Del Colle, Italy as a part of Operation Unified Protector and served as Expeditionary Air Wing Commander for the RAF fast jet operations over Libyan airspace. Additionally, Sampson flew 2 seasons with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flying Spitfires and Hurricanes.<ref name=AdviserAppointment />
In November 2012, he was promoted to air commodore and appointed Joint Force Air Component Commander. In 2014 he assumed command of the No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group and the position of UK Air Component Commander. He commanded all RAF operations over Iraq and Syria during Operation Shader.<ref name="SampsonInterview">{{cite web |url=https://www.kurdistan24.net/public/index.php/en/story/24455-%E2%80%9CI-started-my-journey-with-the-Kurdistan-Region%E2%80%9D:-Q&A-with-UK-DSAME-Air-Marshal-Martin-%E2%80%9CSammy%E2%80%9D-Sampson |title="I started my journey with the Kurdistan Region": Q&A with UK DSAME Air Marshal Martin "Sammy" Sampson|first=Joanne |last=Stocker-Kelly |date=8 May 2021|website=www.kurdistan24.net |publisher=Kurdistan24 |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref>
In February 2021, he was promoted to air marshal and appointed serving as UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa.<ref name=Appointments /> He retired from the Royal Air Force on 30 July 2024.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=64503 |date= 3 September 2024 |page= 16959 |supp= y }}</ref>
==Honours and decorations== In 2006, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in recognition of his command of the Harrier Squadron during two tours in Afghanistan.<ref name="Distinguished Service Order">{{cite web |url=https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/54e6de9e0c383719802572b9005141ed/127d3e6f18c7d054802572ab004bd8bf?OpenDocument |title=Honoured for bravery and service on operations|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=8 September 2006 |website=wired-gov.net |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref> On 21 April 2017, Sampson was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field during the period 1 April to 30 September 2016".<ref name="Operational Honours and Awards">{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-honours-and-awards-list-21-april-2017 |title=Operational Honours and Awards List: 21 April 2017|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=21 April 2017 |website=www.gov.uk |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=13 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="LG 21 April 2017">{{London Gazette |issue= 61908 |date= 21 April 2017 |page= 8515 |supp= y }}</ref> In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).<ref>{{cite web |title=The Military division of The King's Birthday Honours List 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-military-division-of-the-kings-birthday-honours-list-2024 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=14 June 2024 |language=en |date=14 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 64423 |date= 15 June 2024 |page= B3 |supp= y }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{S-mil}} {{S-break}} {{S-vac|unknown}} {{S-ttl|title=Officer Commanding No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron|years=2004–2006}} {{S-aft|after=K A Lewis}} |- {{S-bef|before=J Hitchcock}} {{S-ttl|title=Station Commander RAF Coningsby|years=2010–2012}} {{S-aft|after=Johnny Stringer|rows=2}} |- {{S-bef|before=Alan Gillespie}} {{S-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group|years=2014–2016}} {{S-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Martin}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Royal Air Force air marshals Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Category:20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Category:21st-century Royal Air Force personnel Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the Iraq War Category:Royal Air Force personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath
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