Defence Services Secretary
{{Not to be confused with|Secretary of State for Defence}}
The Defence Services Secretary is a senior member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom.{{Infobox official post
| post = Defence Services Secretary / Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel Capability)
| body =
| insignia = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Tudor crown).svg
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Arms of the Royal Household
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| flag = Flag of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom).svg
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| flagborder =
| flagcaption = Flag of the British Armed Forces
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| incumbent = Major General Lisa Keetley
| acting =
| incumbentsince = October 2024
| department = British Armed Forces
Royal Household
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| abbreviation = DSS
| member_of =
| reports_to = The Monarch
Secretary of State for Defence
Chief of Defence Staff
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| nominator = Secretary of State for Defence
| appointer = The Monarch
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| precursor =
| formation = 1964
| first = General Sir Rodney Moore
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Responsibilities
The Defence Services Secretary is the senior member of the Royal Household responsible for liaison between the Sovereign and the British Armed Forces.[http://www.royal.gov.uk/monarchuk/armedforces/queenandthearmedforces.aspx The Queen and the Armed Services] They are answerable to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff for tri-service appointments, national ceremonial events and honours, decorations, awards and medals.[http://www.veterans-uk.info/medals/instituted.html Veterans UK] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529152852/http://veterans-uk.info/medals/instituted.html |date=2011-05-29 }} From 1992 the Defence Services Secretary has been double-hatted with a second Ministry of Defence role, generally that of Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel).[http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/3A7A2BEA-C92D-431A-B146-AC9E9860EB36/0/central_tlb.pdf Central Top Level Budget] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008043154/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/3A7A2BEA-C92D-431A-B146-AC9E9860EB36/0/central_tlb.pdf |date=October 8, 2012 }}
List of Defence Services Secretaries
Defence Services Secretaries have been:[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Ministry%20of%20Defence%20Senior%20Posts.pdf Ministry of Defence & Tri-service senior appointments] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033054/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Ministry%20of%20Defence%20Senior%20Posts.pdf |date=November 17, 2015 }}
- General Sir Rodney Moore, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCB|KCVO|CBE|DSO}} 1964–1966
- Vice Admiral Sir Ian Hogg, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CB|DSC}} 1966–1967
- Air Vice-Marshal Sir Alan Boxer, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CB|DSO|DFC}} 1967–1970
- Major General Sir Chandos Blair, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|OBE|MC}} 1970–1972
- Rear Admiral Sir Ronald Forrest, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO}} 1972–1975
- Air Vice-Marshal Sir Brian Stanbridge, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CBE|AFC}} 1975–1979
- Rear Admiral Sir Leslie Townsend, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CBE}} 1979–1982
- Major General Sir Michael Palmer, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO}} 1982–1985
- Air Vice-Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CB}} 1985–1988
- Rear Admiral Sir David Allen, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|KCVO|CBE}} 1988–1991
- Major General Brian Pennicott, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 1991–1994 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) from 1992)
- Air Vice-Marshal Peter Harding, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CB|CVO|CBE|AFC}} 1994–1998
- Rear Admiral Rodney Lees, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 1998–2001 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
- Major General Christopher Elliot, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO|CBE}} 2001–2004 (Director General, Reserve Forces and Cadets as secondary post)
- Air Vice-Marshal David Pocock, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 2004–2005 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
- Rear Admiral Peter Wilkinson, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 2005–2007 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
- Major General Matthew Sykes, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 2007–2010
- Air Vice-Marshal David Murray, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO|OBE}} 2010–2012
- Rear Admiral Simon Williams, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 2012–2015 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)
- Major-General Richard Nugee, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO|CBE}} 2015–2016 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel and Reserves) as secondary post)[https://www.thetimes.com/article/army-appointment-jtx3dn53zrm Army appointment]
- Air Vice-Marshal Garry Tunnicliffe, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO}} 2016–2019 (Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel Capability) as secondary post)Daily Telegraph, 2016, "Air Appointments" The Daily Telegraph 21 July 2016{{London Gazette|issue= 61656|supp=y|page=16088|date=26 July 2016}}
- Rear Admiral James Macleod, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CB|CVO}} 2019-2022 (Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel Capability) as secondary post)Royal Court Circular, 2019, Buckingham Palace, 27 March 2019{{London Gazette |issue=63135 |date=10 October 2020 |page=B2 |supp= y}}[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-17/queens-first-appearance-since-covid-scare/100838516 Queen Elizabeth II makes first appearance since Prince Charles's COVID diagnosis], ABC/Reuters, 2022-02-16Royal Court Circular, 2022, Windsor Castle,16 February 2022
- Major General Eldon Millar, {{post-nominals|sep=,|country=GBR|CVO|MBE}} 2022–2024 (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (People Capability) as secondary post)Royal Court Circular, 2022, St James Palace, 3 February 2022{{London Gazette |issue=63640|date=15 March 2022|page=4774|supp=y}}
- Major General Lisa Keetley 2024–present (Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (People Capability) as secondary post)