Group Captain John Middleton BA RAFR
Regional Commandant (North) Region
Group Captain Middleton joined the Royal Air Force in 1967. After completing his officer training at RAFC Cranwell he converted to the F4 Phantom as a navigator and completed tours on 31 and 29 Squadrons, both in the Attack and Air Defence role. He completed a F4 Qualified Weapons Course in 1976 and undertook instructional duties as a weapons instructor on 228 OCU (F4).
In 1978 he completed pilot training and after a tour on No 44 Squadron, flying the Vulcan, he re-roled to the Tornado GR1. After graduating from the Tornado Weapons Course he completed 5 years as a Tornado QWI navigator; towards the end of his tour he was appointed Officer Commanding Staneval Weapons. Once again he changed aircraft type and undertook flying duties on F3 OCU, F3 OEU and No5 Sqn.
Following his tour on 5 Sqn he attended the Joint Services Staff College at Greenwich and in 1990 was appointed to his first staff tour, in the Operational Requirements Branch of the MOD, responsible for future air-to-air weapons.
Promoted to Wing Commander, he held the appointment of Officer Commanding 25(F) Squadron and completed 2 operational tours supporting Op Deny Flight. After his Squadron Commander tour he completed a tour in the NATO Air Head Quarters Ramstein as the Chief of the Cossec Department. On promotion to Group Captain, he returned to the UK to work as a Deputy Director in the Air Staff, working for the Assistant Chief of Air Staff and the Chief of Air Staff. On completion of this 2-year tour, he returned again to Ramstein to take up a new established post as Chief of Air Operations. He completed his tour in May 2001 and with it retired from the RAF. He was then employed as the Senior Careers Liaison Officer for the North East of England, based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
Group Captain Middleton is married to Helen and has 2 children, Sadie and Craig, and 4 grandchildren - Harrison, Ella, Finlay and Isobella. His hobbies and interests are classic cars, history of the 1st World War and playing golf badly!