Keith Blount

Vice Admiral Keith Edward Blount, CB, OBE, FRAeS (born 22 June 1966) is a senior Royal Navy officer and pilot. From 2015 to 2019, he was Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation, Amphibious Capability and Carriers) and head of the Fleet Air Arm.[1][2] He currently serves as Commander Allied Maritime Command, NATO.

Keith Blount
Vice Admiral Blount in 2019
Born (1966-06-22) 22 June 1966
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1984–present
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldAllied Maritime Command
Fleet Air Arm
HMS Ocean
HMS Somerset
HMS Anglesey
Battles/warsIraq War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Officer of the Legion of Merit

Early life and education

Blount was born on 22 June 1966 in Plymouth, England. He was educated at Plymstock School, a state secondary school in Plymouth.[3] He later attended King's College London to study for a Master of Arts (MA) degree in defence studies, which he completed in 2004.[3][4]

Blount joined the Royal Navy in 1984, and qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1986.[3] Following training, he served with 826, 810, 771, 705 and 820 Naval Air Squadrons.[4] His commands have included HMS Ocean, the Iraqi Maritime Task Group, and the United Kingdom's Maritime Component in Bahrain.[2] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours.[5]

From May 2015 until February 2019, Blount served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation, Amphibious Capability and Carriers) and Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm.[2] Blount was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2016,[3] and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2018 New Year Honours.[6] In February 2019 it was announced that he would become Commander Allied Maritime Command.[7] Blount became commander effective 20 May 2019,[8] and was promoted to vice admiral.[9]

While a commodore, Blount was awarded the Legion of Merit in the degree of officer by the President of the United States "in recognition of meritorious, gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in the field".[10]

References
  1. 'BLOUNT, Rear Adm. Keith Edward', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 22 June 2017
  2. "Rear Admiral Keith E Blount OBE" (PDF). Royal Navy. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  3. "Blount, Rear Adm. Keith Edward". Who's Who 2019. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  4. "New Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm". Fleet Air Arm Officers Association. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  5. "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 4.
  6. "No. 62150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2017. p. N3.
  7. "Royal Navy Appoints New Senior Officers". Forces Network. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  8. "NATO Maritime Command Changes Leadership". Allied Maritime Command. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  9. "No. 62648". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 May 2019. p. 9040.
  10. "No. 62841". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 November 2019. p. 21590.
Military offices
Preceded by
Russell Harding		 Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm
2015–2019		 Succeeded by
Martin Connell
Preceded by
Clive Johnstone		 Allied Maritime Command
2019–		 Incumbent
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