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23/08/2013
First Woman Is Promoted To Air Vice Marshal Within The RAF
Elaine West has become the first woman to be promoted to Air Vice-Marshal within the RAF.
Air Vice-Marshal West will take up the role of Director of Projects and Programme Delivery at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. She will lead the way in programming and delivering multi-million-pound infrastructure projects to support military training, improve defence capability and oversee the draw down of Army units from Germany.
Prior to Air Vice-Marshal West's promotion, the highest rank held by a regular serving female officer in the modern day RAF was Air Commodore. The highest ranking female officer in the Navy has been Commodore and the highest rank achieved by a woman in the Army has been Brigadier.
Air Vice-Marshal West said: "It is with enormous pride that I take up my new appointment. I am privileged to have served in the RAF and to have enjoyed so many challenging roles over the years.
"To now be the first female military two-star is a truly unexpected bonus. I know so many inspirational women across all 3 Services who continue to make a substantial contribution to operations and our Armed Forces more widely.
"This is a terrific opportunity and one that I'm looking forward to immensely."
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "We need the best and the brightest talent in senior positions as we transform Defence over the next few years as we build Future Force 2020, and that means selecting people from across Defence, irrespective of gender.
"I am pleased that we are demonstrating in Defence that there are no 'glass ceilings' for female officers who have the necessary abilities to rise to the senior ranks."
(CD/IT)
Air Vice-Marshal West will take up the role of Director of Projects and Programme Delivery at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. She will lead the way in programming and delivering multi-million-pound infrastructure projects to support military training, improve defence capability and oversee the draw down of Army units from Germany.
Prior to Air Vice-Marshal West's promotion, the highest rank held by a regular serving female officer in the modern day RAF was Air Commodore. The highest ranking female officer in the Navy has been Commodore and the highest rank achieved by a woman in the Army has been Brigadier.
Air Vice-Marshal West said: "It is with enormous pride that I take up my new appointment. I am privileged to have served in the RAF and to have enjoyed so many challenging roles over the years.
"To now be the first female military two-star is a truly unexpected bonus. I know so many inspirational women across all 3 Services who continue to make a substantial contribution to operations and our Armed Forces more widely.
"This is a terrific opportunity and one that I'm looking forward to immensely."
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "We need the best and the brightest talent in senior positions as we transform Defence over the next few years as we build Future Force 2020, and that means selecting people from across Defence, irrespective of gender.
"I am pleased that we are demonstrating in Defence that there are no 'glass ceilings' for female officers who have the necessary abilities to rise to the senior ranks."
(CD/IT)
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