Carolyn Stait
Encyclopedia
Commodore
Carolyn J Stait CBE (b.1957) is a retired officer of the Royal Navy
, and was from 2004 to 2007 the first woman to command a Naval Base in Britain. As Commander of HMNB Clyde
in Scotland, the home of the UK's nuclear deterrent
at the Faslane Naval Base, Stait was the first woman to be selectively promoted to the rank of Commodore in direct competition with male officers: no woman has held a higher rank in the Royal Navy to date.
, the daughter of physicist Harold Stait and Kathleen (nee Hooper). She attended King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
, leaving in 1975 with four A Levels. She joined the Navy intending to use the career as a route into the diplomatic service
, later embracing a lifetime Naval career instead. In interviews during 2004 Stait said that she had a boyfriend who worked as an independent travel writer.
, working as a weapons analyst at the Culdrose facility in Cornwall. She passed out of officer training at the Britannia Royal Naval College
in 1977 and was appointed a Probationary Third Officer (Sub-Lieutenant
) on 26 July, taking up a post as an Admiral's PA. Her rank was confirmed on 26 April 1978. Stait was promoted Second Officer (Lieutenant
) on 1 April 1980, and proceeded to posts in the Ministry of Defence
and as Flag Lieutenant in Gibraltar
. She was promoted First Officer (Lieutenant Commander
) on 1 April 1988, before attending the Staff Course
in 1989. She was promoted Commander
in 1995 and spent a first two-year period at Faslane as the Executive Officer of HMS Neptune at HMNB Clyde. She was promoted Captain
on 31 December 1998,and appointed Personal Staff Officer to the Second Sea Lord in HMNB Portsmouth. In the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours
Stait was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Later she was appointed Deputy Director of Naval Manning from where she was promoted to Commodore on 22 June 2004, before returning to Faslane as Base Commander. Stait stood down as Base Commander at Faslane in autumn 2007; and was succeeded by Commodore Christopher Hockley
. She was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 New Year's Honours List.
Commodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
Carolyn J Stait CBE (b.1957) is a retired officer of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and was from 2004 to 2007 the first woman to command a Naval Base in Britain. As Commander of HMNB Clyde
HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy...
in Scotland, the home of the UK's nuclear deterrent
Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom was the third country to test an independently developed nuclear weapon, in October 1952. It is one of the five "Nuclear Weapons States" under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which the UK ratified in 1968...
at the Faslane Naval Base, Stait was the first woman to be selectively promoted to the rank of Commodore in direct competition with male officers: no woman has held a higher rank in the Royal Navy to date.
Personal life
Stait was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, the daughter of physicist Harold Stait and Kathleen (nee Hooper). She attended King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls is a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham for students aged 11 to 18 . It is one of the 7 schools in Birmingham that are part of the of the King Edward VI Foundation.It shares a campus with King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, and in 1958...
, leaving in 1975 with four A Levels. She joined the Navy intending to use the career as a route into the diplomatic service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
, later embracing a lifetime Naval career instead. In interviews during 2004 Stait said that she had a boyfriend who worked as an independent travel writer.
Career
Stait began her Naval career in 1975 as a Cadet WrenWomen's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
, working as a weapons analyst at the Culdrose facility in Cornwall. She passed out of officer training at the Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
in 1977 and was appointed a Probationary Third Officer (Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
) on 26 July, taking up a post as an Admiral's PA. Her rank was confirmed on 26 April 1978. Stait was promoted Second Officer (Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
) on 1 April 1980, and proceeded to posts in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and as Flag Lieutenant in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. She was promoted First Officer (Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
) on 1 April 1988, before attending the Staff Course
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
in 1989. She was promoted Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1995 and spent a first two-year period at Faslane as the Executive Officer of HMS Neptune at HMNB Clyde. She was promoted Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
on 31 December 1998,and appointed Personal Staff Officer to the Second Sea Lord in HMNB Portsmouth. In the 1999 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
Stait was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Later she was appointed Deputy Director of Naval Manning from where she was promoted to Commodore on 22 June 2004, before returning to Faslane as Base Commander. Stait stood down as Base Commander at Faslane in autumn 2007; and was succeeded by Commodore Christopher Hockley
Christopher Hockley
Rear Admiral Christopher J. Hockley is a Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland with effect from September 2011.-Naval career:...
. She was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 New Year's Honours List.