Richard Lacey

Air Vice-Marshal Richard Howard Lacey (born 11 December 1953) is a retired Royal Air Force officer who served as the Commander of British Forces Cyprus and UK National Military Representative to the NATO HQ at SHAPE in Belgium.

Education Lacey was educated at John Ruskin Grammar School, University of Cambridge, the RAF College Cranwell and the Royal College of Defence Studies.

Flying career Lacey joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1972. He qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1978 and completed operational flying tours in Northern Ireland and Hong Kong. He trained as a helicopter flying instructor in 1984 and on promotion to squadron leader in 1985, he returned to operational flying in Northern Ireland as a Flight Commander with No 72 Squadron. After attending the RAF Staff College he was appointed Personal Staff Officer to Chief of Staff at RAF Strike Command (then Commander-in-Chief for the Gulf War) in 1989. His last appointment was as Commander of British Forces Cyprus and Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas in 2006 before retiring in 2009.

Retirement After retirement, Lacey became Director of Strategy at Sodexo Defence Ltd. He previously served as a Gentleman Usher to King Charles III.