John Cooper (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General John Cooper CB
DSO
MBE (born 17 February 1955) is a former senior British Army
officer. From March 2008 the Deputy Commander of Multinational Force-Iraq
(MNF-I), the operational-level headquarters in Iraq
, and Senior British Military Representative-Iraq. As Deputy Commander, he was the principal assistant to General
Raymond T. Odierno
of the United States Army
. He stepped down on 4 March 2009, and retired from the army later that year.
. Educated at Berwick Grammar School, he then went to Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers
(KOSB) as a second lieutenant
on 8 March 1975. He initially served in Northern Ireland
, Britain and Germany, he was promoted lieutenant
on 8 March 1977, and captain
on 8 September 1981. In the early 1980s he served two tours with a British Army advisory and training team in Zimbabwe before attending Staff College, Camberley
in 1987. He was promoted major on 30 September 1987, and after graduation from the staff course, he was appointed Chief of Staff
, 8th Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland 1988–89, for which he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on 6 November 1990. He then commanded a rifle company in 1st Battalion, KOSB (1KOSB), including active service in the Gulf War
. He was promoted lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1994, and commanded 1KOSB for a further tour in Northern Ireland, for which he was appointed to the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO), as well as tours in Edinburgh and Lancashire. He then served as an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley, and at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
.
. He attended the Higher Command and Staff Course
in 1998, and was promoted colonel on 30 June 1998. He was officially promoted to brigadier
on 31 December 1999, with seniority from 30 June 1999, having taken command of the 12th Mechanised Brigade in November 1999. The brigade deployed to Bosnia in 2000. He was appointed to the honorary position of KOSB's Colonel of the Regiment on 9 February 2001 and held that post until the regiment was disbanded with its merger into the Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28 March 2006, when he became a Deputy Colonel of the new regiment. He was appointed the Chief of the Defence Staff
's liaison officer
to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
in the Pentagon (United States) in Washington DC in 2002. He then assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff, Field Army, HQ Land Command.
Upon promotion to major general on 7 May 2004, Cooper became Deputy Commander Combined Forces Command (Afghanistan
) until December 2004. He was awarded the US Bronze Star Medal
for his service in Afghanistan. When he departed Afghanistan, he took command of 1st (UK) Armoured Division on 25 January 2005, taking elements of that division to Iraq where it formed HQ Multi-National Division (South-East)
. He returned to England for two years of senior leadership positions before his promotion to lieutenant general and return to Iraq on 23 March 2008 to become Deputy Commander. He stepped down from the post on 4 March 2009. In an interview on 3 March 2009 he expressed his belief that the struggle against Al Qaida in Iraq had been won, and that the country was getting back on its feet.
Cooper was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. He retired from the army on 21 November 2009.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MBE (born 17 February 1955) is a former senior British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer. From March 2008 the Deputy Commander of Multinational Force-Iraq
Multinational force in Iraq
The Multi-National Force – Iraq was a military command, led by the United States, which was responsible for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Multi-National Force – Iraq replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on 15 May 2004, and was later itself reorganized into its successor, United...
(MNF-I), the operational-level headquarters in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Senior British Military Representative-Iraq. As Deputy Commander, he was the principal assistant to General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
Raymond T. Odierno
Raymond T. Odierno
Raymond T. Odierno is a United States Army general and the 38th and current Chief of Staff of the Army. Odierno most recently commanded United States Joint Forces Command from October 2010 until its disestablishment in August 2011. He served as Commanding General, United States Forces – Iraq and...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He stepped down on 4 March 2009, and retired from the army later that year.
Early life and career
Cooper was born on 17 February 1955 in Berwick-upon-TweedBerwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
. Educated at Berwick Grammar School, he then went to Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
(KOSB) as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 8 March 1975. He initially served in Northern Ireland
Operation Banner
Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
, Britain and Germany, he was promoted lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 8 March 1977, and captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 8 September 1981. In the early 1980s he served two tours with a British Army advisory and training team in Zimbabwe before attending Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
in 1987. He was promoted major on 30 September 1987, and after graduation from the staff course, he was appointed Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
, 8th Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland 1988–89, for which he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on 6 November 1990. He then commanded a rifle company in 1st Battalion, KOSB (1KOSB), including active service in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. He was promoted lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1994, and commanded 1KOSB for a further tour in Northern Ireland, for which he was appointed to the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO), as well as tours in Edinburgh and Lancashire. He then served as an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley, and at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.-History:JSCSC combined the single...
.
Higher command
In November 1997, Cooper was appointed to a high staff position as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, G3 (O&D) in HQ LAND, where he had responsibility for implementing recommendations arising from the Strategic Defence ReviewStrategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
. He attended the Higher Command and Staff Course
Higher Command and Staff Course
The Higher Command and Staff Course is a staff course for senior military officers of the United Kingdom armed forces and allies. It is taught at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom....
in 1998, and was promoted colonel on 30 June 1998. He was officially promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
on 31 December 1999, with seniority from 30 June 1999, having taken command of the 12th Mechanised Brigade in November 1999. The brigade deployed to Bosnia in 2000. He was appointed to the honorary position of KOSB's Colonel of the Regiment on 9 February 2001 and held that post until the regiment was disbanded with its merger into the Royal Regiment of Scotland on 28 March 2006, when he became a Deputy Colonel of the new regiment. He was appointed the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
's liaison officer
Liaison officer
A liaison officer or LNO is a person that liaises between two organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities. Generally, they are used to achieve the best utilization of resources or employment of services of one organization by another. In the military, liaison officers may...
to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
in the Pentagon (United States) in Washington DC in 2002. He then assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff, Field Army, HQ Land Command.
Upon promotion to major general on 7 May 2004, Cooper became Deputy Commander Combined Forces Command (Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
) until December 2004. He was awarded the US Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for his service in Afghanistan. When he departed Afghanistan, he took command of 1st (UK) Armoured Division on 25 January 2005, taking elements of that division to Iraq where it formed HQ Multi-National Division (South-East)
Multi-National Division (South-East)
Multi-National Division may refer to:*Multi-National Division *Multi-National Division...
. He returned to England for two years of senior leadership positions before his promotion to lieutenant general and return to Iraq on 23 March 2008 to become Deputy Commander. He stepped down from the post on 4 March 2009. In an interview on 3 March 2009 he expressed his belief that the struggle against Al Qaida in Iraq had been won, and that the country was getting back on its feet.
Cooper was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. He retired from the army on 21 November 2009.