The British Army has announced three senior leadership appointments involving new three-star roles.
Lieutenant General Mike Elviss CB MBE will succeed Lieutenant General Sir Ralph Wooddisse as Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) in late March 2026. Elviss currently serves as Commander Field Army and will move to Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire to take command of the UK’s principal NATO corps-level contribution.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the ARRC is central to NATO’s renewed focus on corps-level ‘warfighting’ and forms part of the UK’s role as one of the alliance’s Strategic Reserve Corps. “It is a huge privilege to be selected as COMARRC at such a critical and exciting time, as the UK begins to meaningfully deliver on its commitments as one of NATO’s Strategic Reserve Corps,” Elviss said.
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns said the appointment reflects the UK’s commitment to providing experienced leadership to NATO formations. “The security environment doesn’t stand still, and neither can we. Appointing Lieutenant General Mike Elviss as COMARRC is a clear signal of the UK’s commitment to NATO — not just in words, but in the quality of the leadership we’re putting forward.”
The Army also announced that Lieutenant General Zac Stenning CB OBE will take up the newly titled position of Commander Land Forces. Stenning currently serves as Director of Cyber and Specialist Operations Command and will oversee operations, training and warfare development across the Army.
“I am honoured and excited to be returning to the Army after two years in Cyber and Specialist Operations Command,” Stenning said.
“I look forward to accelerating the modernisation of our Land Forces in support of Defence through the integration of advanced technology, innovative tactics, and the dedication of our brilliant soldiers and officers.”
Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton CBE has also been appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff, succeeding Lieutenant General Sir David Eastman. Hamilton previously served as Chief Executive of Defence Equipment and Support. In his new role, Hamilton will lead the Army’s force design work, overseeing personnel and capability development while strengthening links with industry through the National Armaments Director Group.
“I am honoured, following the conclusion of my tenure as CEO Defence Equipment & Support, to become the next Deputy Chief of the General Staff,” Hamilton said. “I much look forward to returning to the Army Headquarters and supporting CGS in transforming the Army’s lethality.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, the three lieutenant generals will work under Chief of the General Staff General Sir Roly Walker while also supporting wider NATO and UK defence leadership responsibilities.
Do we have a real working field Army? Moving the deck chairs while the ship sinks.
Just as long as Col Sarah Pringle-Smith is kept away from the NCO ranks the Corps should work. As a brigadier she was as much use as Starmer in a management debate.
NEVER heard of her,
You are lucky. She was a brigadier & OC of the Royal Military Police. She failed to support her senior NCOs. The vetting people under her command failed to ask relevant probing questions when conducting at least one vetting process which in turn led to the ruination of a Sergeant’s career. I fine, she ‘managed’ (I used the term advisedly as she couldn’t manage a fart in a storm) to change a young man full of ambition with the ability and experience to proceed up the ranks, in to a lesser ambitiuos man.
She is a disgrace to her regiment and a liability to the British Army.
I would love to meet her.
Apparently Lt Gen Hamilton has presided over the Ajax debacle aas a SRO as well.
So is promoted?
Brig Sarah Pringle-Smith failed to investigate properly, she encouraged those supposedly conducting a vetting process to take the easy course and reject the man vetted, then she rejected the man from the promotion that had been earned. Had the right questions been asked and the answers probed she would have found a candidate worthy of the promotion – which had already been earned.
For failing to support the company of her Corps I deem her unfit for command.
We need people to man Bulldogs, which are getting a new coat of paint and fancy camouflage and will be ready for service in the Middle East again. However, the Labour Government can’t say when this work will be finished due to the DIP delays.
Yet more pointless rebranding.
Commander Land Forces back in the day, then to Commander Field Army, now back to CLF.
Same force, smaller. New name. It’s all “new” you know….
Other examples:
Theatre Troops, to Force Troops, to Field Army Troops.
Joint Forces Command, to Strategic Command, to CSOC.
Same Forces, smaller. It’s all “New.”
DIS, so Defence Intelligence Staff, became DI, Defence Imtelligence, now the MIS, Military Intelligence Services.
Much fanfare from HMG! It’s all new!!! No, Same assets, different name.
A “new” Defence Intellgence Academy, breathlessly announced by HMG, bringing all together in one place. Errr, no. Chicksands DITG already existed, with a few outstations like DSOP at Cosford.
Same assets, new name.
I could go on with dozens of other examples across the services, but cannot be bothered.
And the same old crap in Main Building, endless moving of deckchairs and renaming of existing to call them “new.”
You fool nobody, HMG, except the ignorant masses who probably don’t even notice.
But those who care do notice…including the poor sods serving who now have to change the noticeplate on their door for what exactly?
I assume if Commander Field Army is now CLF then Field Army Troops is now LFT?
More Generals than tanks
Army has a handful of Generals, the CGS being one, with others in tri service or NATO positions.
As of 1 July 2025, there were 211 General Officers in the British Army, according to data provided by the Ministry of Defence, which covers roles from Major General to General.
Although still less Generals than horses – 505
Exactly. Not Generals.
We’ve had several articles over the years where I’ve tried to explain in vain why there are the numbers of officers from Brigadeer up, so I’m not going over it again.
2* Very Serious General Officers, the equivalent of a Rear Admiral.
HM Armed forces is suffering ridiculous grade inflation – look at Commodores, up from 1 in the 70’s, the senior Captain at Collingrad which was full of Captains, with a huge Navy to 80 now doing jobs a Captain used to do. It only became a substantive rank in 1997.
More Stars than Tanks…………..is this the new Army moto