Lieutenant General David Eastman MBE BEng(Hons) MSc CEng FIMechE
Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) David Eastman commissioned into the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1989. He has served in Hong Kong, Nepal, Germany, the Falkland Islands, Australia and across the UK, and has deployed on operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan twice. He was made an MBE following the first UK deployment to Helmand in 2006, during which he was employed as the Deputy Chief of Staff, 16 Air Assault Brigade.
In addition to service with a wide variety of field force units, Lt Gen Eastman has focused on developing his Joint, International and Capability credentials at the Operational and Strategic levels. Roles have included planning the redeployment of British Forces from Afghanistan whilst in PJHQ; Force Development and Strategic Management of the UK military force structure in support of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review as part of the Financial and Military Capability Directorate in MoD; and a stint as a Military Assistant at the strategic level for the Assistant Chief of the General staff.
From an international perspective, he has been the Military Assistant to a German four-star NATO commander, commanded a globally deployed Defence Engagement-focused logistic brigade and commanded the UN multi-national contingent on several exercises in South Korea. He served as the Head of International Policy and Plans for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean in the Ministry of Defence, subsequently switching to Euro-Atlantic Security.
He completed the UK Higher Command and Staff Course in 2013 and, in 2019, the Australian War College Defence and Strategic Studies Course in Canberra.
On returning to the UK, Lt Gen Eastman served as General Officer Commanding Regional Command running the Army’s UK strategic base and concurrently serving as the Deputy Commander and then Commander of the UK’s Standing Joint Command, responsible for support to UK resilience including the Defence COVID Force. He assumed the role of Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Capability and Force Design) in August 2022 acting as the Defence lead for capability strategy and planning, and future force development and design. In May 2024 he was selected for promotion to Lt Gen and appointed as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
Lt Gen Eastman is very proud to hold regimental appointments as the Colonel Commandant of The Staff Corps since April 2024, the Master General of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Colonel Commandant of The Royal Corps of Army Music.
He is married to Corina and has four children. He is an avid musician and rugby fan, now that his playing/coaching and refereeing days are over.
Lieutenant General M R Elviss CB MBE
Mike Elviss commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery in August 1995, joining 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, and then returned to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an instructor before his initial selection for sub-unit command in 2002. He deployed to Iraq twice in 2003 in artillery and infantry roles. Attendance on the Advanced Command and Staff Course followed prior to his appointment as Chief of Staff 20th Armoured Brigade and a return to Iraq. In 2008 he returned to battery command and deployed to Afghanistan.
Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Elviss became Military Assistant to the Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2009 and was subsequently the Military Assistant to the Deputy Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He assumed command of 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in September 2011 and commanded the Task Force Helmand Joint Fires and Targeting Group throughout Operation Herrick 18.
In March 2014 he was appointed Assistant Head Operations of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Current Commitments Team in the Operations Directorate of the Ministry of Defence. After attendance on the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2015 he returned to the Operations Directorate as Head Operations Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and Syria.
Lt Gen Elviss commanded 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade between July 2016 and July 2018, including a year as NATO’s Very High Readiness Task Force (Land) and the Vanguard Armoured Infantry Brigade. He became a member of the Royal College of Defence Studies in September 2018 prior to filling the post of Assistant Chief of Staff Field Army.
In February 2020 General Elviss became General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Division and was subsequently Chief of Staff (Operations) at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters between October 2021 and February 2024.
Lieutenant General Elviss assumed command of the Field Army on 18 March 2024.
FOLLOW THE COMMANDER FIELD ARMYLieutenant General P R Griffiths CB
Commander Standing Joint Command
Educated at Blue Coat Grammar School and commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals in 1993, Lieutenant General Paul Griffiths has served operationally in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Following several junior appointments and completion of the Advanced Command and Staff Course, he posted to the MOD Main Building as an SO1 in Army Resources and Plans. He then commanded the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division’s Signal Regiment, deploying the Unit to locations across Afghanistan. Following the command, he became an advisor to the Chief of the General Staff and then worked as his Military Assistant. On promotion to Colonel, he was a Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff in the Field Army.
He took command of 1st (United Kingdom) Signal Brigade in 2016 and completed the Higher Command and Staff Course. Following brigade command, he was assigned to his fourth tour in Whitehall. Promoted to Major General in 2021, he was appointed as Director Personnel in Army Headquarters and for this work, was made a Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. In August 2023, he became the Assistant Chief of the General Staff, where he played a leading role in guiding the Army through the Strategic Defence Review.
In June 2025, he was appointed as the Master of Signals, and in September 2025, he promoted to Lieutenant General, assuming the role of Commander Standing Joint Command.
A keen sportsman, he swam at national level, boxed for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and his regiment, and played rugby for the Royal Corps of Signals. He enjoys diving and skiing which combine well with his love of travel.