# Steve Shell

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = [Air Marshal](/source/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](/source/Royal_Air_Force)
|service_years     = 1988–2025
|rank             = [Air Marshal](/source/Air_Marshal)
|service_number    = 8029793F
|unit             = 
|commands         = [RAF Odiham](/source/RAF_Odiham)<br/>[No. 27 Squadron RAF](/source/No._27_Squadron_RAF)
|battles          = [Gulf War](/source/Gulf_War)<br/>[Iraq War](/source/Iraq_War)<br/>[Operation Highbrow](/source/Operation_Highbrow)<br/>[War in Afghanistan](/source/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001%E2%80%932021))
|awards           = [Companion of the Order of the Bath](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath)<br/>[Officer of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire)<br/>[Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service](/source/Queen's_Commendation_for_Valuable_Service)<br/>[Bronze Star Medal](/source/Bronze_Star_Medal) (United States)
|relations        = 
|other_work        = 
}}
[Air Marshal](/source/Air_Marshal) '''Stephen Jeffrey Shell''', {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|CB|OBE}} is a British retired senior [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) officer. He served as director general of the [Defence Safety Authority](/source/Defence_Safety_Authority) (DSA) from January 2022 to November 2024. He had served as director of the [Military Aviation Authority](/source/Military_Aviation_Authority) from 2018 to 2021. Since 2025, he has been CEO of [SSAFA](/source/SSAFA).

==RAF career==
Shell was commissioned in the General Duties Branch of the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) on 5 May 1988 as an [acting pilot officer](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Boeing_CH-47_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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/officer_commanding) [No. 27 Squadron RAF](/source/No._27_Squadron_RAF) from 2005 to 2007, during which the squadron was involved in [evacuating British citizens from Lebanon](/source/Operation_Highbrow) and deployed to [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan) as part of [Operation Herrick](/source/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](/source/RAF_Odiham) and [commanding officer](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Defence_Safety_Authority) (DSA) and promoted to [air marshal](/source/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](/source/SSAFA), in succession to [Sir Andrew Gregory](/source/Andrew_Gregory_(British_Army_officer)).<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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/2008_New_Year_Honours), he was appointed an [Officer of the Order of the British Empire](/source/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](/source/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](/source/2021_New_Year_Honours), he was appointed a [Companion of the Order of the Bath](/source/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](/source/Sue_Gray_(RAF_officer))}}
{{s-ttl|title=Director-General [Defence Safety Authority](/source/Defence_Safety_Authority)|years=2022–2024}}
{{s-aft|after=[Alan Gillespie](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Steve Shell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Shell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Shell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.