{{Short description|Royal Air Force Air Marshal (1938–2020)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox military person |name= Sir Michael Stear |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |birth_name= Michael James Douglas Stear |birth_date= {{Birth date|1938|10|11|df=yes}} |birth_place= |death_date= {{Death date and age|2020|1|5|1938|10|11|df=yes}} |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= United Kingdom |branch= Royal Air Force |service_years= 1961–96 |rank= Air Chief Marshal |service_number= 5011693 |unit= No. 1 Squadron<br/>No. 208 Squadron |commands= No. 18 Group (1989–92)<br/>No. 11 Group (1985–87)<br/>RAF Gütersloh (1980–82)<br/>No. 56 Squadron (1976)<br/>No. 17 Squadron (1974–76) |battles= |awards= Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath<br/>Commander of the Order of the British Empire<br/>Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air |relations= |other_work= }} Air Chief Marshal '''Sir Michael James Douglas Stear''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCB|CBE|DL}} (11 October 1938 – 5 January 2020)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article2629564.ece |title=Court and Social |newspaper=The Times |url-access=subscription }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> was a senior commander of the Royal Air Force (RAF). He served as Deputy Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe from 1992 to 1996.
==Early life== Stear was educated at Monkton Combe School in Somerset where he gained his private pilot's licence, and began his National Service in 1957. From 1959 he attended the University of Cambridge where he joined the Cambridge University Air Squadron (part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve), being commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 10 May 1961.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=15 September 1961 |supp=y |issue=42465 |page=6768}}</ref> After completing his degree, he joined the Royal Air Force, and was granted a permanent commission as a pilot officer on 1 October 1962,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=9 November 1962 |supp=y |issue=42830 |page=8807 |nolink=yes}}</ref> relinquishing his RAFVR commission the same day.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=9 November 1962 |supp=y |issue= 42830 |page=8809 |nolink=yes}}</ref>
==RAF career== Stear served as a pilot with No. 1 Squadron after completing flying training, and was promoted to flying officer on 1 April 1963,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=17 May 1963 |supp=y |issue=42999 |page=4409 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1964.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 January 1964 |supp=y |issue=43213 |page=190 |nolink=yes}}</ref>
In 1967, he joined No. 208 Squadron and saw action in the Persian Gulf. Awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1969, Stear began a three-year period of service in the United States Air Force as part of an officer exchange programme later that year. He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 January 1970.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=5 January 1970 |supp=y |issue=45013 |page=222 |nolink=yes}}</ref>
On his return to the UK in 1972 he was posted to the Air Secretary's Branch at the Ministry of Defence, and in 1974 was posted to Germany as Officer Commanding No. 17 Squadron. He was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1974.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=24 September 1974 |supp=y |issue=46349 |page=7907 |nolink=yes}}</ref> In 1976, after short-term posting as Officer Commanding No. 56 Squadron at RAF Wattisham, he was appointed Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of Air Staff, Ministry of Defence.{{cn|date=December 2022}}
Stear was promoted to group captain on 1 July 1979,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=23 July 1979 |supp=y |issue=47911 |page=9361 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and in 1980 returned to Germany as Officer Commanding RAF Gütersloh.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Station%20OCs-Germany.htm |title=RAF Station Commanders – 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany |first=M. B. |last=Barrass |work=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation |year=2015 |accessdate=2 May 2015}}</ref> In 1982 he became Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations), HQ Second Allied Tactical Air Force and, with the advent of the Falklands War, posted as Air Commodore Plans, HQ Strike Command. Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1982 Birthday Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=11 June 1982 |supp=y |issue=49008 |page=7 |nolink=yes}}</ref> he was promoted to air commodore on 1 July 1983,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=4 July 1983 |supp=y |issue=49406 |page=8832 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and to air vice marshal on 1 July 1985.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=15 July 1985 |supp=y |issue=50195 |page=9770 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He served as Air Officer Commanding (AOC) No. 11 Group from 1 August 1985<ref name="rafwebGp2">{{cite web |url=http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/Grp02.htm |title=RAF Group No's 10–19 |first=M. B. |last=Barrass |work=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation |year=2015 |accessdate=2 May 2015}}</ref> until 15 July 1987,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=20 July 1987 |supp=y |issue= 51001 |page=9283 |nolink=yes}}</ref> then as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (NATO/UK). He was promoted to air marshal on 25 October 1989,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=30 October 1989 |supp=y |issue=51919 |page=12512 |nolink=yes}}</ref> to serve as AOC No. 18 Group and Commander Maritime Air Eastern Atlantic and Channel.<ref name="rafwebGp2"/> Stear was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1990 New Year Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=29 December 1989 |supp=y |issue=51981 |page=2 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was promoted to air chief marshal on 27 August 1992,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=28 August 1992 |supp=y |issue= 53033 |page=14681 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and a year later was appointed Deputy Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/NATO1.htm |title=Multinational Commands held by RAF Air Officers: HQ Allied Forces Central Europe |first=M. B. |last=Barrass |work=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation |year=2015 |accessdate=2 May 2015}}</ref>
==Retirement== Stear retired from the RAF on 11 October 1996,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54570 |date=4 November 1996 |page=14663 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and on the same day was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) as a flying officer for a period of four years.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 December 1996 |issue=54596 |page=15993 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was twice granted an extension of service, first until 10 October 2003,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=5 December 2000 |supp=y |issue= 56048 |page=13697 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and then until 10 October 2007,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=6 February 2007 |supp=y |issue= 58238 |page=1645 |nolink=yes}}</ref> when he finally relinquished his RAFVR(T) commission at the age of 68.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=8 February 2011 |supp=y |issue=59692 |page=2150 |nolink=yes}}</ref> Stear also maintained his links with the Air Force by becoming President of the Royal Air Forces Association in 1998. In 2000, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant for the County of Devon.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=55845 |date=11 May 2000 |page=5188 |nolink=yes}}</ref>
He died on 5 January 2020 at the age of 81.<ref>[http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/238672/stear Stear]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Sir Kenneth Hayr}} {{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group|years=1985–1987}} {{s-aft|after=Sir Roger Palin}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Barry Duxbury}} {{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group|years=1989–1992}} {{s-aft|after=Sir John Harris}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Anthony Skingsley}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Central Europe|years=1993–1998}} {{s-aft|after=Christopher Coville}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stear, Michael}} Category:1938 births Category:2020 deaths Category:People educated at Monkton Combe School Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge Category:Royal Air Force air chief marshals Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Category:Deputy lieutenants of Devon Category:20th-century Royal Air Force personnel