Ben Key

Sir Ben Key
Sir Ben Key
	Key in 2022
Born	7 November 1965(age 58)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1984–present
Rank	Admiral
Service number	C031724D
Commands held	First Sea Lord; Chief of Joint Operations; Fleet Commander; HMSIllustrious; HMSLancaster; HMSIron Duke; HMSSandown
Battles/wars	Kosovo War; Iraq War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath; Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Bronze Star Medal(United States)
Alma mater	Royal Holloway, University of London; Britannia Royal Naval College

AdmiralSir Benjamin John Key,KCB,CBE,ADC(born 7 November 1965) is a seniorRoyal Navyofficer. He has served asFirst Sea Lordsince November 2021.^[2]He has commanded HM ShipsSandown,Iron DukeandLancaster,and deployed on operations toKosovoandIraq.He was appointedFleet Commanderin 2016, and theChief of Joint Operationsin 2019.

Early life and education[edit]

Key was born on 7 November 1965^[3]He was educated atBromsgrove School,aprivate schoolinBromsgrove,Worcestershire.^[4]^[5]^[6]He studiedphysicsatRoyal Holloway, University of London,^[7]graduating with aBachelor of Science(BSc) degree in 1988.^[8]

Naval career[edit]

Key joined theRoyal Navyin 1984.^[7]After serving as an observer in theFleet Air Arm,he saw action as a Principal Warfare Officer in thefrigate HMSSomersetduring theKosovo Warin 1999.^[7]After briefly serving as commanding officer of theminehunter HMSSandown,he became commanding officer of the frigateHMSIron Dukein 2000 andHMSLancasterin 2001.^[7]He went on to be a staff officer in the Directorate of Naval Resources and Plans at theMinistry of Defencein 2003, then Advisor to the Director Joint Staff in the Iraqi Joint Headquarters in 2006. Following promotion tocaptainon 30 June 2006,^[9]he was appointed a staff officer at thePermanent Joint Headquartersin Northwood in 2007.^[7]After that he became commanding officer of theaircraft carrier HMSIllustriousin February 2009, Commodore Joint Air Maritime Organisation in February 2010 and Director of Naval Plans and Resources at the Ministry of Defence in May 2011.^[10]

Key was appointed Principal Staff Officer to theChief of the Defence Staffin November 2011,^[11]andFlag Officer Sea Trainingin April 2013.^[12]He was appointedFleet Commanderand promoted to the rank ofvice admiralon 10 February 2016.^[13]^[14]He becameChief of Joint Operationsin April 2019.^[15]

Key received the United StatesBronze Star Medalin 2006 and was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empire(CBE) in the2016 New Year Honours,^[16]^[17]andKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath(KCB) in the2021 New Year Honours.^[1]He was awarded theHonorary degreeofDoctor of Science(D.Sc) byRoyal Holloway, University of Londonon 20 December 2018.^[18]

Key ledOperation Pitting,the UK's evacuation efforts in Afghanistan following the2021 Taliban offensive,in August 2021 and,^[19]on 15 October, it was announced that Key was to be the nextFirst Sea Lord.^[20]^[21]He assumed the post from AdmiralSir Tony Radakinon 8 November 2021.^[2]

Personal life[edit]

In 1994, Key married Elly.^[8]^[22]Together they have three children: two sons and one daughter.^[8]

References[edit]

^^a ^b"No. 63218".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N2.
^^a ^b"Royal Navy welcomes new First Sea Lord".www.royalnavy.mod.uk.8 November 2021.
^"Key, Vice Adm. Sir Benjamin John, (Sir Ben), (born 7 Nov. 1965), Chief of Joint Operations, since 2019".Who's Who 2022.Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021.Retrieved27 July2022.
^"Former Bromsgrove School student appointed Chief of Naval Staff".Bromsgrove Standard.21 October 2021.Retrieved18 November2021.
^"Foundation Lecture".Bromsgrove School.Retrieved18 November2021.
^"Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key Biography".Windsor Leadership.Retrieved18 November2021.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e"Commodore Ben Key RN".Worshipful Company of Feltmakers of London. 23 April 2010.Retrieved10 February2016.
^^a ^b ^c"Key, Adm. Sir Benjamin John, (Sir Ben), (born 7 Nov. 1965), First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King (formerly to the Queen), since 2021".Who's Who 2023.Oxford University Press. 1 December 2022.Retrieved30 October2023.
^"No. 58034".The London Gazette(Supplement). 4 July 2006. p. 9059.
^"Senior Royal Navy Appointments"(PDF).Retrieved10 February2016.
^"Senior Tri-Service and Ministry of Defence Appointments"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 November 2015.Retrieved10 February2016.
^"Rear Admiral visits BRNC at Dartmouth".Torquay Herald Express.21 May 2013.Retrieved10 February2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
^"Royal Navy appoints new Fleet Commander".Royal Navy. 10 February 2016.Retrieved10 February2016.
^"No. 61513".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 March 2016. p. 4342.
^"Current Admirals"(PDF).Retrieved1 April2019.
^"No. 61450".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N5.
^"Vice Admiral B J Key CBE, Royal Navy Fleet Commander"(PDF).Royal Navy.Retrieved15 February2016.
^"Vice Admiral Ben Key CBE awarded Honorary Doctorate from Royal Holloway".Royal Holloway, University of London.Retrieved20 October2021.
^Nicholls, Dominic (17 August 2021)."Taliban are in charge of security in Kabul, admits man in charge of British evacuation".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved20 August2021.
^"Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE has been appointed to First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff".GOV.UK.15 October 2021.
^Chuter, Andrew (16 October 2021)."Vice Adm. Ben Key gets nod as Britain's new First Sea Lord".Defense News.Retrieved18 October2021.
^"Why we support - Chief Of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Ben Key & Mrs Elly Key".www.rnrmc.org.uk.The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. 2 December 2018.Retrieved30 October2023.

Military offices
Preceded by Clive Johnstone	Flag Officer Sea Training 2013–2015	Succeeded by John Clink
Preceded by Sir Philip Jones	Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff 2016–2019	Succeeded by Jerry Kyd
Preceded by Tim Fraser	Chief of Joint Operations 2019–2021	Succeeded by Charles Stickland
Preceded by Sir Tony Radakin	First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff 2021–	Incumbent

[ReferenceA-1] "No. 63218".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N2.

[sealord-2] "Royal Navy welcomes new First Sea Lord".www.royalnavy.mod.uk.8 November 2021.

[WW_22-3] "Key, Vice Adm. Sir Benjamin John, (Sir Ben), (born 7 Nov. 1965), Chief of Joint Operations, since 2019".Who's Who 2022.Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021.Retrieved27 July2022.

[4] "Former Bromsgrove School student appointed Chief of Naval Staff".Bromsgrove Standard.21 October 2021.Retrieved18 November2021.

[5] "Foundation Lecture".Bromsgrove School.Retrieved18 November2021.

[6] "Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key Biography".Windsor Leadership.Retrieved18 November2021.

[bio-7] "Commodore Ben Key RN".Worshipful Company of Feltmakers of London. 23 April 2010.Retrieved10 February2016.

[WW_23-8] "Key, Adm. Sir Benjamin John, (Sir Ben), (born 7 Nov. 1965), First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, and First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King (formerly to the Queen), since 2021".Who's Who 2023.Oxford University Press. 1 December 2022.Retrieved30 October2023.

[9] "No. 58034".The London Gazette(Supplement). 4 July 2006. p. 9059.

[10] "Senior Royal Navy Appointments"(PDF).Retrieved10 February2016.

[11] "Senior Tri-Service and Ministry of Defence Appointments"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 November 2015.Retrieved10 February2016.

[12] "Rear Admiral visits BRNC at Dartmouth".Torquay Herald Express.21 May 2013.Retrieved10 February2016.^{[permanent dead link]}

[13] "Royal Navy appoints new Fleet Commander".Royal Navy. 10 February 2016.Retrieved10 February2016.

[14] "No. 61513".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 March 2016. p. 4342.

[15] "Current Admirals"(PDF).Retrieved1 April2019.

[16] "No. 61450".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N5.

[17] "Vice Admiral B J Key CBE, Royal Navy Fleet Commander"(PDF).Royal Navy.Retrieved15 February2016.

[18] "Vice Admiral Ben Key CBE awarded Honorary Doctorate from Royal Holloway".Royal Holloway, University of London.Retrieved20 October2021.

[19] Nicholls, Dominic (17 August 2021)."Taliban are in charge of security in Kabul, admits man in charge of British evacuation".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved20 August2021.

[20] "Vice Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE has been appointed to First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff".GOV.UK.15 October 2021.

[2021-10-16_DN-21] Chuter, Andrew (16 October 2021)."Vice Adm. Ben Key gets nod as Britain's new First Sea Lord".Defense News.Retrieved18 October2021.

[22] "Why we support - Chief Of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Ben Key & Mrs Elly Key".www.rnrmc.org.uk.The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. 2 December 2018.Retrieved30 October2023.

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v t e First Sea Lordsof theRoyal Navy
Senior Naval Lords (1689–1771)	Arthur Herbert Sir John Chicheley Edward Russell Henry Priestman Earl of Orford Sir George Rooke Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Matthew Aylmer Sir George Byng Sir John Jennings Sir John Norris Sir Charles Wager Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Harry Powlett Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Anson Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen John Forbes Earl Howe Sir Charles Saunders Augustus Keppel Sir Peircy Brett Sir Francis Holburne
First Naval Lords (1771–1904)	Augustus Hervey Sir Hugh Palliser Robert Man George Darby Sir Robert Harland Sir Hugh Pigot John Leveson-Gower Lord Hood Sir Charles Middleton James Gambier Sir Thomas Troubridge James Gambier John Markham James Gambier Sir Richard Bickerton William Domett Sir Joseph Yorke Sir Graham Moore Sir William Johnstone Hope Sir George Cockburn Sir Thomas Hardy The Hon. George Dundas Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir Charles Adam Sir George Cockburn Sir William Parker Sir Charles Adam Sir James Dundas The Hon. Maurice Berkeley Hyde Parker The Hon. Maurice Berkeley The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas William Martin The Hon. Sir Richard Dundas The Hon. Sir Frederick Grey Sir Alexander Milne Sir Sydney Dacres Sir Alexander Milne Sir Hastings Yelverton Sir George Wellesley Sir Astley Key Sir Arthur Hood Lord John Hay Sir Arthur Hood Sir Richard Hamilton Sir Anthony Hoskins Sir Frederick Richards Lord Walter Kerr
First Sea Lords (1904–present)	Sir John Fisher Sir Arthur Wilson Sir Francis Bridgeman Prince Louis of Battenberg The Lord Fisher Sir Henry Jackson Sir John Jellicoe Sir Rosslyn Wemyss The Earl Beatty Sir Charles Madden, Bt Sir Frederick Field The Lord Chatfield Sir Roger Backhouse Sir Dudley Pound The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope Sir John Cunningham The Lord Fraser of North Cape Sir Rhoderick McGrigor The Earl Mountbatten of Burma Sir Charles Lambe Sir Caspar John Sir David Luce Sir Varyl Begg Sir Michael Le Fanu Sir Peter Hill-Norton Sir Michael Pollock Sir Edward Ashmore Sir Terence Lewin Sir Henry Leach Sir John Fieldhouse Sir William Staveley Sir Julian Oswald Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir Jock Slater Sir Michael Boyce Sir Nigel Essenhigh Sir Alan West Sir Jonathon Band Sir Mark Stanhope Sir George Zambellas Sir Philip Jones Sir Antony Radakin Sir Ben Key