SUPPORT OUR PARAS

    A charitable initiative in support of The Parachute Regiment
    personnel and their families.
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Our Patron

 
General Sir Mike Jackson GCB CBE DSO 

General Sir Mike Jackson was born in 1944, and was educated at Stamford School, The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Birmingham University.  Commissioned from Sandhurst into the Intelligence Corps in December 1963, he studied for an in-service degree in Russian Studies from 1964 to 1967.  After graduating, he spent two years on secondment to the Parachute Regiment and subsequently transferred from the Intelligence Corps in 1970.  During the early 70s he served in Northern Ireland, and with the TA in Scotland.

 

He attended the staff college in 1976, after which he spent two years as the Chief of Staff of the Berlin Infantry Brigade.  He then commanded a parachute company for two years, once more in Northern Ireland.

 

After a six month course at the National Defence College at Latimer in 1981, he joined the Directing Staff at the Staff College.  His two and a half year tour at Camberley included a ten week attachment to the Ministry of defence during the Falklands conflict.

 

He commanded 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment from March 1984 to September 1986. Throughout his period of command the Battalion was part of the NATO Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land), a role which included three winters spent in Norway on arctic training.

 

For just over two years, until the end of 1988, he was the Senior Directing Staff (Army) at the Joint Service Defence College, Greenwich.  Following the Higher Command and Staff Course at Camberley in early 1989, he then spent six months on a Service Fellowship at Cambridge writing a paper on the future on the British Army.

 

He moved back to Northern Ireland in late 1989 to command 39 Infantry Brigade for two and a half years.  1992 and 1993 were spent in the Ministry of Defence as Director General Personnel Services (Army).  He commanded the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division from March 1994 to July 1996.  He spent the first half of 1996 in Bosnia commanding IFOR’s Multinational Division South West.  He assumed the appointment of Commander ACE Rapid Reaction Corps in the rank of Lieutenant General in February 1997, following a brief assignment as Director General Development and Doctrine.

 

He deployed with ARRC HQ as Commander Kosovo Force to Macedonia in March 1999 and subsequently commanded Kosovo Force in Pristina from June to October 1999.  He then became Commander in Chief Land Command on 1 March 2000.  He assumed the appointment of Chief of the General Staff on 1 February 2003, and left office on 29 August 2006.  He was Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment 1998-2004, and published his autobiography ‘Soldier’ in September 2007.

 

General Sir Mike Jackson was awarded the MBE in 1979, the CBE in 1992, the CB in 1996, the KCB in 1998, the DSO in 1999 and the GCB in 2004. He is married to Sarah and has two sons, a daughter and three grandchildren. His interests include music, reading, travel, skiing and tennis.


Our Supporters

 
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup
GCB AFC ADC DSc FRAeS FCMI RAF 

22 January 2008

 

"Since its formation in 1940, the Parachute Regiment has established and maintained the fully deserved reputation as one of the world’s finest fighting forces. From their early operations during the Second World War, the ‘Paras’ have seen action in virtually every significant conflict in which Britain has been involved, including Malaya, Suez, Aden, the Falklands, the Balkans, Sierra Leone and, more recently, Iraq and Afghanistan. Although the theatres of conflict have changed over the years, the courage, professionalism and dedication to duty displayed by the Paras has remained constant and this is something which continues to be a source of immense personal pride, and something of which the whole country can be justifiably proud.

 

Of course, such meritorious service in such dangerous circumstances is not achieved without sacrifice, as we have sadly seen recently in Afghanistan. As well as the significant loss to their comrades I also recognise the devastating effect such events can have on the families of those killed or wounded in action. The support of these families in their time of need is absolutely vital and this is why events such as ‘Support Our Paras Day’ are so important. I send my personal wishes for a successful and enjoyable day and also my thanks for the support and recognition that the event affords the soldiers of the Parachute Regiment and their families. It is richly deserved."

 

Corporate Sponsor

 

The Premier Global Defence and Aerospace Company

BAE Systems is delighted to be sponsoring the SUPPORT OUR PARAS fundraising event at Old Sarum Airfield. The company and its employees are grateful to the Parachute Regiment and all those in the UK's armed forces for the important work they do.