 Parker was promoted to brigadier in December 1997, with seniority from 30 June 1997 and given command of 20th Armoured Brigade, which deployed to Bosnia in 1999.Parker served as commander of the British task force in Sierra Leone and advisor to the country's president in 2001, and went on to become General Officer Commanding, 2nd Division in November 2002, being promoted to major-general on the same date.As General Officer Commanding 2nd Division, he was also Governor of Edinburgh Castle.