{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix = Air Marshal |name = Steve Shell |honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CB|OBE}} |image = Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Shell (cropped).jpg |image_upright = |alt = |caption = Air Vice-Marshal Shell in 2019 |nickname = |birth_date = |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |burial_place = |allegiance = United Kingdom |branch = Royal Air Force |service_years = 1988–2025 |rank = Air Marshal |service_number = 8029793F |unit = |commands = RAF Odiham<br/>No. 27 Squadron RAF |battles = Gulf War<br/>Iraq War<br/>Operation Highbrow<br/>War in Afghanistan |awards = Companion of the Order of the Bath<br/>Officer of the Order of the British Empire<br/>Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service<br/>Bronze Star Medal (United States) |relations = |other_work = }} Air Marshal '''Stephen Jeffrey Shell''', {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|CB|OBE}} is a British retired senior Royal Air Force officer. He served as director general of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) from January 2022 to November 2024. He had served as director of the Military Aviation Authority from 2018 to 2021. Since 2025, he has been CEO of SSAFA.
==RAF career== Shell was commissioned in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force on 5 May 1988 as an acting pilot officer.<ref name="LG 51420">{{London Gazette |issue= 51420 |date= 25 July 1988 |page= 8452 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> He was regraded to pilot officer on 5 May 1989,<ref name="LG 51754">{{London Gazette |issue= 51754 |date= 5 June 1989 |page= 6663 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> promoted to flying officer on 5 May 1990,<ref name="LG 52158">{{London Gazette |issue= 52158 |date= 4 June 1990 |page= 10108 |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> and to flight lieutenant on 5 November 1993.<ref name="LG 53498">{{London Gazette |issue= 53498 |date= 29 November 1993 |page= 19083 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> He trained and served as a Chinook pilot.<ref name="Basingstoke">{{cite news |last1=Gregory |first1=Chris |title=Pilot's 'privilege' to return to RAF Odiham |url=https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/4748741.pilots-privilege-to-return-to-raf-odiham/ |access-date=19 July 2023 |work=Basingstoke Gazette |date=22 November 2009 |language=en}}</ref> In the half yearly promotions, he was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1998,<ref name="LG 55187">{{London Gazette |issue= 55187 |date= 6 July 1998 |page= 7376 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> and to wing commander on 1 January 2003.<ref name="LG 56811">{{London Gazette |issue= 56811 |date= 7 January 2003 |pages= 129-130 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> He was officer commanding No. 27 Squadron RAF from 2005 to 2007, during which the squadron was involved in evacuating British citizens from Lebanon and deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rivett |first1=Jen |title=RAF commander says farewell to squadron |url=https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/1723302.raf-commander-says-farewell-to-squadron/ |access-date=19 July 2023 |work=Basingstoke Gazette |date=30 September 2007 |language=en}}</ref> From 2009 to 2011, he was station commander of RAF Odiham and commanding officer of the UK Chinook Force.<ref name="GOV" /><ref name="Basingstoke" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Moss |first1=Simon |title=Cash injection to keep RAF base flying high |url=https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/9346882.cash-injection-to-keep-raf-base-flying-high/ |access-date=19 July 2023 |work=Basingstoke Gazette |date=5 November 2011 |language=en}}</ref>
On 12 December 2018, Shell was appointed director of the Military Aviation Authority.<ref>{{cite web |title=Director Military Aviation Authority: Air Vice-Marshal Steve Shell OBE MA RAF |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/steve-shell |website=GOV.UK |access-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723222424/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/steve-shell |archive-date=23 July 2019}}</ref> On 7 January 2022, he was appointed director general of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) and promoted to air marshal.<ref name="GOV">{{cite web |title=Air Marshal Steve Shell CB OBE MA RAF |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/steve-shell |website=GOV.UK |access-date=19 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Senior Appointments |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-appointments/ |website=Royal Air Force |access-date=19 July 2023 |date=19 November 2021 |quote=Air Vice-Marshal S J Shell CB OBE to be promoted Air Marshal and to be Director General Defence Safety Authority with effect from 7 January 2022 in succession to Air Marshal S C Gray CB who is retiring from the Service.}}</ref><ref name="LG 63640">{{London Gazette |issue= 63640 |date= 15 March 2022 |page= 4776 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref>
Shell retired from the Royal Air Force on 12 April 2025.<ref name="LG 24 June 2025">{{London Gazette |issue= 64776 |date= 24 June 2025 |page= 12604 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref>
==Later life== On 2 April 2025, Shell became chief executive officer of SSAFA, in succession to Sir Andrew Gregory.<ref name="New CEO">{{cite web |title=New CEO of SSAFA announced |url=https://www.ssafa.org.uk/news-articles/new-ceo-of-ssafa-announced/ |website=www.ssafa.org.uk |access-date=8 May 2026 |date=25 March 2025}}</ref>
==Honours== In 2006, Shell was awarded the Bronze Star Medal by the United States "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Iraq".<ref name="LG 58183">{{London Gazette |issue= 58183 |date= 15 December 2006 |page= 17361 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> In July 2007, he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2006 to 31st March 2007".<ref name="LG 58396">{{London Gazette |issue= 58396 |date= 19 July 2007 |pages= 10412-10413 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> In the 2008 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).<ref name="LG 58557">{{London Gazette |issue= 58557 |date= 29 December 2007 |page= 6 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> In 2018, he received the Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with 1 Clasp (i.e. 15 years plus 10 years service).<ref name="LG 62445">{{London Gazette |issue= 62445 |date= 23 October 2018 |pages= 19124–19139 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref> In the 2021 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).<ref name="LG 63218">{{London Gazette |issue= 63218 |date= 31 December 2020 |page= N2 |supp= y |city= |title= |quote=}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Sue Gray}} {{s-ttl|title=Director-General Defence Safety Authority|years=2022–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Alan Gillespie}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shell, Stephen Jeffrey}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:British aviators Category:Royal Air Force air marshals Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service Category:Foreign recipients of United States military awards and decorations Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire