Air Marshal Clare Samantha Walton, CB, is a senior Royal Air Force officer and physician. Since July 2023 she has been Director General of Defence Medical Services.[1]

Clare Walton
Air Vice-Marshal Walton in 2022
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1987–present
RankAir Marshal
CommandsDefence Medical Group
Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court
Battles / warsUnited Nations Protection Force
Iraq War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath

RAF career

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Walton was commissioned into the Medical Branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 27 March 1987 as a pilot officer:[2] she was being sponsored through her degree by a University Cadetship with the RAF.[3] She graduated from St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BS) degrees in 1989.[3] After training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, she was promoted to squadron leader on 1 August 1990.[4] She transferred from a short service commission to a permanent commission on 24 April 1992.[5] She has served a number of posting abroad, including with the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Kuwait as part of Operation Desert Fox, and in Iraq as part of Operation Telic.[3]

From 2011 to 2014, Walton served as commanding officer of Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court.[3][6] She was appointed Air Officer Medical Operations in No. 38 Group RAF on 13 June 2016.[7] She was then Commander of the Defence Medical Group from 2018 to 2020.[8]

From February 2020, she was Director Defence Medical Personnel & Training, based at Defence Medical Services Whittington. In October 2022 it was announced that Walton would succeed as Director General of the Defence Medical Services from July 2023.[1] She was promoted to Air Marshal and took up the position on 3 July 2023.[9]

She was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2022 New Year Honours.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Latest civil service & public affairs moves – October 24". Civil Service World. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  2. ^ "No. 50934". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1987. p. 7079.
  3. ^ a b c d "Welcome message from Air Vice Marshal Clare Walton" (doc). files.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk. 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. ^ "No. 52301". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 October 1990. p. 16116.
  5. ^ "No. 52989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 July 1992. p. 11828.
  6. ^ "A royal opening for new Headley Court rehabilitation complex". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  7. ^ "No. 61636". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 July 2016. p. 14549.
  8. ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  9. ^ "No. 64150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 August 2023. p. 16787.
  10. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N3.
Military offices
Preceded by Director General of Defence Medical Services
2023–present
Incumbent