General Charles Vyvyan

Former Defence Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington DC

Charles Vyvyan was educated at Balliol College, Oxford where he read Modern History. On graduating he joined the British Army and was commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets. As a young officer he served in Germany, Cyprus, North Africa, and the Far East, and subsequently commanded 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets. After a variety of staff appointments in Operational Headquarters and the MoD, he was selected to establish and command a new Brigade in Northern Ireland. He then spent a year in Pakistan at the National Defence College, before being appointed Chief of Staff at HQ Land Command. His last military appointment was Defence Attaché in the British Embassy in Washington DC, and Head of the British Defence Staff throughout the US.

Since leaving the Army, he has become a recognised authority on defence strategy and provides a senior advisory role to government and commercial organizations in UK, Europe and the USA. He is currently Chairman of the consultancy Oxford Strategic, which he founded in 2003. In June 2006 he was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod.