9.2 | 23 May 2003 to June 2004

• December 2004 to June 2005: Major General Jonathon Riley

• June 2005 to December 2005: Major General James Dutton

• December 2005 to July 2006: Major General John Cooper

• July 2006 to January 2007: Major General Richard Shirreff

• January 2007 to August 2007: Major General Jonathan Shaw

• August 2007 to February 2008: Major General Graham Binns

• February 2008 to August 2008: Major General Barney White-Spunner

• August 2008 to March 2009: Major General Andrew Salmon

A number of those who served as GOC MND(SE) gave the Inquiry their views about the

length of their tour in Iraq.

Lt Gen Riley told the Inquiry that he was “firmly of the view” that GOCs needed “an

extended period of duty” if they were “in any way to understand local societies” and gain

the trust and confidence of those with whom they were working.93 He said he believed that

the six month rotation period was changing and said that his last tour in Afghanistan had

been for 14 months.

The Inquiry asked Lt Gen Rollo and Lt Gen Cooper how much they were able to build on

their predecessors’ success during a six month GOC MND(SE) posting.94

Lt Gen Rollo said that he felt that six month postings were “too short” and that longer tours

would have been “entirely sensible” given that MND(SE) was a “vastly complicated place,

for commanders in particular”. He added that GOCs did, however, approach the role with

“a common doctrine”, common background of experience and a desire “to achieve the

same things”.

Lt Gen Cooper told the Inquiry that he felt that postings should last for at least 12 months.

He said that he agreed with Lt Gen Rollo’s assessment that GOCs would look at key

issues but observed:

“ … clearly I looked at it slightly differently to my predecessor, and my successor

looked at it slightly differently to me, his successor looked at it slightly differently

to him”.

Lt Gen Dutton told the Inquiry that there was “no doubt” that six months was not long

enough for a GOC to be in post, but that years in post were needed to develop the level

of understanding necessary for the role.95 He said that the duration should certainly be

increased to a year.

Lt Gen Shirreff told the Inquiry that in his opinion divisional commanders “must do more

than six months” and so senior commanders should do “much longer” because:

“ … just as you are getting up to speed, just as you are establishing trust, confidence,

with all your interlocutors, it is time to pull out, and, of course, your interlocutors have

to start all over again …”96

93 Public hearing, 14 December 2009, pages 20-21.

94 Public hearing, 15 December 2009, pages 45-47.

95 Public hearing, 12 July 2010, pages 51-52.

96 Public hearing, 11 January 2010, page 46.

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