Brigadier General David Pack OBE

Head, Personnel Strategy British Army

Brigadier Dave Pack OBE is currently filling the appointment of Hd Pers Strat in the Directorate of Personnel in Army Headquarters since September 2025. He is also Colonel of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, a role he assumed in Sep 2023. Brigadier Pack commissioned into the Royal Gurkha Rifles in December 1999. In the first two years of his career, he served as a Platoon Commander in the jungles of Brunei and Sierra Leone and in the Falkland Islands, before taking part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 as part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team. On return from Iraq, he promoted to Captain and assumed the role of Company Second in Command of an Armoured Infantry Company, before deploying to Iraq for a second time. Post this tour he returned to the Royal Gurkha Rifles and Brunei for another three years of jungle soldiering: as the Intelligence Officer (deploying in this role to Afghanistan); before taking on the Adjutant's appointment. On promotion to Major, he was appointed Military Assistant to Director General Army Recruiting and Training, before assuming command of A (Delhi) Coy of the First Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles. In this command role he led his Company in Afghanistan (Helmand) as part of the 40 Commando Battle Group (for which he was awarded an MBE) and in Brunei. Post Sub-Unit command he worked as the G3/5 plans officer in 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, attended the UK Advanced Command and Staff College, and completed a full two-year tour as the British Army's lead Workforce Planner in British Army Headquarters. In 2018 he returned to Brunei, as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles and Commander of the c2,000 strong Brunei Garrison (enabling the Unit to be Battle Grouped with Aviation, boats and logistic enablers). Over his two-year tenure he led on the Army's contribution to influence and constrain activity in the Indo-Asia Pacific (which included of five Company Group (+) overseas deployments with regional allies), planned and executed counter-poaching operations in East Africa, and led the British Army's Battle Group level warfare development in the jungle environment (for which he was awarded an OBE). He promoted directly from command into the role of Assistant Head of Personnel strategy in British Army Headquarters where he was responsible for the British Army's Strategic Workforce Plan, the conceptual development and subsequent tactical plan to deliver Human Advantage, and the overhaul and optimisation of people data. In 2022 he attended Higher Command and Staff College and promoted to Brigadier. Immediately after HCSC, he moved to America to assume to the role of Deputy Commanding General (Plans) 82nd (US) Airborne Division, based at Fort Liberty/Bragg, North Carolina from 1 May 2023 until August 2025. His tenure involved exercises in America as well as a deployment to Eastern Europe on Op ATLANTIC RESOLVE for 9 months in 2024. Upon his return to the UK, he moved back into Army Pers Strat. Brigadier Pack is a keen sportsman; he has represented his Corps in Rugby Union, Rugby League, Cricket, Fell Running, Cross Country and Athletics. Although past his best he still tries his hand at anything physical and competitive. Brigadier Pack is married to Abi, who up until December 2017 was also a Regular officer (in the Royal Artillery). She is now an Army Reservist, a qualified yoga teacher and an enthusiastic orienteer who both races and plans courses. They have two sons (Bertie (born 2011) and Ollie (born 2015), who fill up most of their weekends and spare time.