Chip Chapman is a retired major general of the British Army who served in various roles, including as a paratrooper, a commander, an instructor, and a counterterrorism expert. He is also a media analyst and a consultant on security and defence issues. This article will provide an overview of his life and career, based on the information available on the web.
Early Life and Education
Chip Chapman was born in 1960 and grew up in Lancashire, England. He attended Lancaster University, where he was sponsored by the British Army and graduated with a first-class honours degree in history in 1980. He was the only army student to achieve this distinction in his year.
Military Service
Chip Chapman joined the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) in 1980 and fought in the Falklands War in 1982, including the Battle of Goose Green, where he was wounded. He stayed with 2 PARA until 1985, which included his first tour in Northern Ireland. He then became an instructor at the Platoon Commander’s Division and returned to 2 PARA as the adjutant.
In 1989, he served on exchange with the Canadian Airborne Regiment and then attended the UK Staff College at Camberley in 1991. He became the chief of staff of the 5 Airborne Brigade and later commanded a company of 2 PARA in Belfast for 18 months. He also served as the second-in-command of 1 PARA and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1996.
He served on the directing staff of the British Army Staff College and the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College. In 1998, he became the senior operations officer in Northern Ireland and then commanded 2 PARA from 1999 to 2001. His tour as the commanding officer included a reinforcement tour in Northern Ireland and a weapons collection mission in Macedonia.
He was promoted to colonel in 2001 and appointed as the head of military operations 2 in the Ministry of Defence, dealing with counterterrorism. As a brigadier, he commanded the 19 Mechanized Brigade from 2003 to 2005 and then became the last chief of staff in Northern Ireland, where he planned the conclusion of the 38-year Operation Banner, the British military operation in the region.
He was the head of counterterrorism and UK operations in the Ministry of Defence from 2007 to 2010 and was promoted to major general in 2009. He was the senior British military adviser to the US Central Command from 2010 to 2012, where he worked closely with the American forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Post-Military Career
After retiring from the army in 2012, Chip Chapman became a consultant for Skarbek Associates, a firm that provides strategic advice and project management services to various sectors. He also became a media analyst and commentator on terrorism, radicalisation, and the Middle East, appearing on channels such as Sky News, BBC, and CNN. He has also written a memoir titled Notes From A Small Military, which was published in 2013.
He was appointed as the independent reviewer of national police discipline for the Home Office in 2014, where he examined the fairness and effectiveness of the police disciplinary system in England and Wales. He also served as a trustee of the Royal British Legion, a charity that supports veterans and their families.
Personal Life
Chip Chapman is married to Geinor and has two children, Rosie and Tom. He lives in London and enjoys reading, golfing, and skiing. He is also a patron of the Parachute Regiment Charity, which provides welfare and support to the regiment and its families.