User:Tompadgett1989/Stephen Padgett

Stephen Padgett (British Army officer)

Colonel Stephen Padgett OBE (born October 1960) is an officer in the British Army. He is best known for his role as COMBRITFOR (Commander British Forces) in Afghanistan in 2005.

Early life
Padgett was born and raised in Gomersal, West Yorkshire. He attended Batley Grammar School before he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

Career
Following training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Padgett's permanent commission in the PWO as a second lieutenant was confirmed on 12 April 1980. . He was promoted lieutenant on 12 April 1982,, captain on 12 October 1986, , and major on 30 September 1992. . Padgett was promoted lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1999. . he took over command of the 1st Battalion, PWO in May 2001 as the regiment moved to Omagh, Co. Tyrone. On 23 April 2004 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his service in Northern Ireland between April and September 2003 as CO of 1PWO, during which time the regiment recovered its full manpower and boasted one of the highest personnel retention rates in the British Army. His next appointment was as Chief of Staff at Headquarters United Kingdom Support Command (Germany) (HQUKSC(G)). In 2005, as an acting colonel, Padgett took over the role of Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan. In the course of this appointment, Padgett took a leading role in efforts to curb the illicit Afghan opium trade, and also in the encouragement of Afghan civilians to vote in the democratic elections that were taking place at the time. He led his team of Gurkhas on a three day patrol into the isolated regions of the Hindu Kush in order to spread the message. He formally attained the rank of colonel on 30 June 2006. .