Sqn Ldr Stewart Adam Eaton is the Royal Air Force Commander at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, the home of the only wing in the United States Air Force with an official name, the “Statue of Liberty Wing.” The Liberty Wing consists of 5,000 active duty personnel, 2,000 British and U.S. civilians, and includes a geographically-separated unit at nearby RAF Feltwell. The wing employs three combat-ready squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft.
After completing a degree in Accountancy at Loughborough University and working briefly for Arthur Andersen & Co, Sqn Ldr Eaton joined the Army in 1989 and was commissioned into the 2nd Gurkha Rifles. His early service included operational tours of Northern Ireland and the Balkans and he transferred to the Royal Anglian Regiment in 1992 serving as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion. After a tour as a Staff Officer Level 3 in MoD Main Building, he attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in 1997 (ACSC 2).
He returned to MoD Main Building as a Staff Officer Level 2 in Operational Requirements as the desk officer responsible for the introduction of computing technology into armoured vehicles. He assumed command of B Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment in 2001 and deployed shortly thereafter to Afghanistan. Returning yet again to MoD Main Building in 2003, he completed a tour in Army Equipment Plans with specific accountability for future medium force capability. At this point he left military service for a career as an HR professional within Financial Services. Over the succeeding 15 years he undertook various roles across the spectrum of HR including talent management, executive development and latterly as an HR director.
In 2021 he returned to Defence as a contractor supporting the reformation of the organisational design of the RAF – Programme Professions. In late 2022 he finally re-joined the military, this time in the RAFR. Sqn Ldr Eaton is married to Lori and has two daughters. His interests include running a smallholding and vintage motorcycles.