Joe French

French joined the RAF in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook.[1] Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong and Germany. He was commanding officer of No. 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–91).[1]

He attended the RAF Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies.[1] Staff postings included aide-de-camp to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team.[1]

French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties,[1] and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy),[1] before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.[1] He was Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) from 2000,[1] and it was while he was CDI that the controversial September Dossier was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.[1] In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnel.[1] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 2006.

French was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 New Year Honours,[2] and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2003 New Year Honours.[3]

Upon his retirement in the spring of 2007, he became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.[4]