Naval Staff Directorate


The Naval Staff Directorate is a military staff directorate created in 1985 as the Directorate of Naval Staff Duties. The directorate was originally part of the British Ministry of Defence and is now under the Ministry of Defence as part of Navy Command. It is currently administered by the Commodore Naval Staff.

History

The directorate was established in November 1985 when its chief responsibilities was to provide administrative support to both the Admiralty Board and the Navy Board. Oversight of the directorate was initially the responsibility of the Office of the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff which is now the responsibility of the Office of the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff as part of Navy Command.
The directorate was administered by the Director of Naval Staff Duties from inception until June 2007 when his title was changed to Director of Naval Staff until 2014 when it was changed again to Commodore Naval Staff who in other official documents is sometimes styled as Head of Naval Staff.
The Naval Staff Directorate is currently providing support to the First Sea Lord, ACNS, and the Navy Board. The directorate is supported in its role by the Secretariat.

Heads of the Directorate

Included:

Director of Naval Staff Duties

  1. Captain Roger C. Dimmock: January-February 1985
  2. Captain E. S. Jeremy Larken: February-April 1985
  3. Captain the Hon. Nicholas J. Hill-Norton: April 1985-June 1987
  4. Captain Geoffrey W.R. Biggs: June 1987-August 1989
  5. Captain Michael C. Boyce: August 1989-April 1991
  6. Captain Michael P. Gretton: April 1991-July 1993
  7. Captain Alan W.J. West: July 1993-1994
  8. Commodore John H.S. McAnally: 1994-1995
  9. Commodore Christopher D. Stanford: 1995-1997
  10. Brigadier Robert A. Fry. RM: 1997-1999
  11. Commodore David G. Snelson: 1999-September 2000
  12. Commodore Trevor A. Soar: September 2000-August 2002
  13. Commodore Robert G. Cooling: August 2002-2003
  14. Commodore Michael Kimmons: 2003-February 2005
  15. Commodore Thomas A. Cunningham: February 2005-June 2007

    Director of Naval Staff

  16. Brigadier Francis H.R. Howes. RM: June 2007-April 2008
  17. Commodore Clive C.C. Johnstone: April-December 2008
  18. Commodore Robert K. Tarrant: December 2008-August 2011
  19. Commodore Neil L. Brown: August 2011-November 2013
  20. Brigadier Peter S. Cameron. RM: November 2013-April 2014

    Commodore Naval Staff

  21. Commodore James M. Lines: April 2014-February 2016
  22. Commodore Nicholas S. Roberts: February 2016-September 2017
  23. Commodore Iain S. Lower: September 2017-current

    Citations