User:Rdgammage/Richard gammage

Air Commodore Richard Gammage has been Assistant Chief of Staff in the Royal Air Force's Headquarters Number 22(Training) Group since December 2008, a post in which he is responsible for the training, education, skills and resettlement of military personnel. As a group captain, he commanded Royal Air Force Halton for 2 years, during which time he undertook the Beckett House Leadership Development Programme and the United States Air Force Senior Leadership Course. He previously served as Deputy Principal Staff Officer to two Chiefs of the Defence Staff (General Sir Michael Walker and Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup) between 2005 and early 2007 during Operations TELIC (Iraq) and HERRICK (Afghanistan).

Air Commodore Richard Gammage previously served in the Ministry of Defence's Directorate of Air Staff culminating as the Executive Officer to the Air Commodore Air Staff. Before that, Gammage graduated from Advanced Staff Training at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in 2000, with a Masters Degree in Defence Studies, and served subsequently in command of the Base Support Wing at Royal Air Force Leuchars until 2002. Promoted to wing commander in 1999, he deployed to Operation BOLTON, where he commanded Media Operations in Kuwait. He completed the Cranfield University Executive Masters of Defence Administration/MSc in Corporate Management in the same year.

Earlier in his career, Gammage served as a squadron leader from 1994 to 1999, initially at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. In 1995 he took command of Royal Air Force Newton, where he led the programme to upgrade the airfield to support the introduction of Joint Elementary Flying Training. In 1997 he briefly commanded Joint and single Service Force Deployment Training Centres in Wales, before his appointment as Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Training, 1997-1999. A graduate of Loughborough and Birmingham Universities, he spent a brief period in teaching before he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1986. His early junior officer years were at Royal Air Force St Mawgan, Royal Air Force Wittering and, in a Joint capacity, in the Falkland Islands at Mount Pleasant. Later, he commanded a Joint Service Mountain Training Centre in West Scotland and served as a Flight Commander in the Officers and Airmen Aircrew Training Unit at Cranwell.

Married to Claire, they have 2 children, Cameron (2002) and Lauren (2004). He is a keen mountaineer, Chairman of the Royal Air Force Athletic Association and a Life Vice President of the Halton Aircraft Apprentices Association. The family home area is in Hampshire.