Air Commodore Ashley David Stevenson, (born 30 September 1958) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer and a former Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell.
Military career Stevenson was commissioned into the Flying Branch as a flying officer from the ranks of the RAF on 25 February 1982.Supplement to The London Gazette of Thursday, 8 April 1982 (No. 48947) retrieved 8 April 1982 He conducted his flying training in the USA on the T-37 and T-38 aircraft, completing using the Hawk in the UK.RAF College Cranwell gets new commandant retrieved 9 April 2008
He was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1992Second Supplement to The London Gazette of Monday, 27 July 1992 (No. 53002) retrieved 26 December 2019 for his actions in an ejection situation following a bird strike of his two-seat Harrier T.4 on 25 September 1991, where he rescued his rear seat passenger (the first woman to eject from a British combat jet) after she landed in the aircraft's burning wreckage.Incident BAe Harrier T.4A XZ147, 25 Sep 1991 retrieved 26 December 2019 This was Stevenson's second ejection from a Harrier after he had ejected from a GR.5 on 17 October 1990.incident BAe Harrier II ZD355, 17 Oct 1990 retrieved 26 December 2019
As Officer Commanding No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron, Wing Commander Stevenson commanded the detachment of Harrier GR.7 aircraft deployed during the Sierra Leone crisis,Harriers return from Sierra Leone retrieved 11 June 2000 the first operation conducted by the combined RAF/Royal Navy Joint Force Harrier.
Stevenson served as Station Commander RAF Wittering for two years and, on promotion to air commodore,Royal Air Force Officer Promotions – 1 July 2007 retrieved 1 July 2007 was appointed Air Commodore Force Development Headquarters in No. 1 Group on 27 November 2006.Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 9/06 retrieved 13 October 2006
Stevenson was appointed to the newly created NATO post of Commander Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in July 2007.Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 2/07 retrieved 21 February 2007 He then became Commandant Royal Air Force College Cranwell and Director of Recruiting in April 2008.Royal Air Force Air Rank Appointments List 08/07 retrieved 11 October 2007
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours.
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