born april retired british_army officer military logistics expert commissioned went serve germany northern_ireland cyprus interspersed staff duties education posted paris involved development milan anti tank weapon returning regiment company commander took command tasked running logistics gulf war went serve commander cross served tours balkans attached second commanded tour responsible multinational troops civilian agencies establishing refugee camps aftermath war later appointed commander order british empire service cross promoted major general star rank nato terms served director general defence supply chain involved planning forthcoming invasion iraq senior british officer involved planning command general officer commanding iraq retiring army cross critical planning iraq removal government giving evidence iraq inquiry urged politicians delay invasion calling post war planning thin serves advisor private companies visiting lecturer british universities convert christianity licensed lay reader church_of_england affiliated christian organisations cross married children early life cross son george mary cross having wanted soldier applied join army age fourteen rejected age joined secondary education accepted study sixth attending early military career cross started commissioned second lieutenant july tour west_germany british_army rhine undertook service degree promoted lieutenant having graduated served tour responsibility regiment new missiles promoted captain went train ammunition technical officer posted northern_ireland involved explosive ordnance disposal inspection duties returning cross served adjutant tour cyprus attached united_nations peace keeping force studied guided weapons staff college promoted major september posted paris british liaison milan anti tank missile programme rejoined company commander promoted lieutenant colonel june returning staff college later year member heavily involved command staff course cross returned germany command previously adjutant company commander double post appointed commander supply role posted kuwait later iraq gulf war iraq cross appointed commander late organisation army amalgamated newly formed cross transferred promoted colonel having completed earlier returned served bosnia nato high command cross promoted brigadier june appointed director distribution army post director army result organisation based hampshire end took command balkans responsible supplying british contingent nato led force time commanded later renamed returned april told returning balkans january role responsible humanitarian effort aftermath war establishing maintaining refugee camps macedonia albania tasked commanding multinational troops coordinating humanitarian efforts personnel united_nations high commissioner refugees multiple non governmental organisations speaking service later called challenging demanding deployment time come face face large scale humanitarian crisis went challenging military working alongside large numbers civilian agencies army needed learn better work organisations need said widely recognised outside military recognition service balkans cross appointed commander order british empire new year honours list january august cross attended promoted major general star rank appointed director general defence supply chain director general responsible establishment united_kingdom joint force component forthcoming operations iraq involved planning invasion country early british representative later following invasion deputies american lieutenant general cross involved coordinating reconstruction country following fall government senior british officer involved post war planning country shortly invasion iraq appeared frost speaking presenter role praised military campaign went talk challenges rebuilding country saying think relative terms badly feared agreed insufficient people ground ensure security aftermath invasion removal government later deeply critical planning post war iraq stated attempted raise issue insufficient planning politicians overly concerned warnings aid agencies massive humanitarian crisis aftermath invasion event admitted optimistic state iraqi infrastructure breakfast frost interview drew analogy london imagine going london ministry building completely furniture completely people windows blown trying find people work equivalent finding worked getting work beginning pay salaries beginning encouraging come work bound bit time cross given honorary title colonel commandant april october appointed general officer commanding iraq commander british_army combat personnel iraq war retired active service january retaining honorary title colonel commandant april given ceremonial appointment pioneer regiment volunteers retirement cross retirement visiting professor british universities including serves advisor number organisations army advisor defence advisor companies non executive chairman british security company serves director following retirement cross attacked foreign policy iraq calling plans fatally flawed shortly general sir chief general staff time invasion recently retired called plans bankrupt interview cross praised planning invasion removal said keen thought carefully postwar aspects going military campaign think public knowledge handled thought executed lived consequences december cross publicly testified iraq inquiry having previously argued proceedings held public eventually gave evidence post war planning prior invasion iraq stating urged prime minister aide delay invasion days prior beginning conflict cross told sir inquiry chairman preparations iraq removal thin went tell inquiry confident secure military victory offered view begin campaign coherent postwar plan interview independent january cross speaking post war iraq claimed lot senior generals frustrated didn sufficient resources singled blair secretary state time invasion criticising system funding allocated iraq campaign personal life cross christian converted christianity leave posting cyprus visited jerusalem easter weekend inspired retired british_army officer met convert converting considered leaving army said interviews reconciled beliefs military service british_army community recognises issue spirituality goodness justice evil wrong probably far licensed lay reader church_of_england involvement number christian organisations including trustee british foreign bible society president interview said moral component fighting power leadership ethics culture people fight embedded element justice lose moral component lose think collectively west gone years pretending moral component important don need biblical foundation life challenge written subject house publication aimed generating professional debate described ideas secular army dangerously wrong rewrite motto girl guides removing reference god married couple live surrey sons serving royal_navy daughter grandchildren cross lists interests golf sailing walking reading writing having written chapters introductions books papers
Tim Cross