Chris Parry Formerly Director General, Development Concepts and Doctrine Centre During a career of 35 years in the Royal Navy, Chris Parry was a Seaman officer, who subsequently sub-specialised as a helicopter Observer, operating from carriers and surface combatants.  He was mentioned in despatches for his part in operations off and on South Georgia during the Falklands War and received the 1983 Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award from the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. He served in a succession of executive, front-line staff and MoD Main Building appointments, culminating in command of the air defence destroyer HMS Gloucester from 1994 to 1996.  As a Captain, he commanded the Maritime Warfare Centre and was responsible for the teaching and evolution of Joint and maritime doctrine, tactical development and operational analysis.  After command of HMS Fearless, he was the Director Operational Capability in the Ministry of Defence, where he was directly responsible to Ministers and the Chiefs of Staff for the provision of independent assessments of operational capability and lessons from operations.  From 2003 he commanded the UK's Amphibious Task Group (COMATG) and, on promotion to Flag rank in January 2005, formed the UK's Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre.  He spent 3 years as its Director General, before moving to a second career as a consultant, writer and lecturer in February 2008.