Major General Richard Bell

Deputy Commander NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine

Major General Bell was commissioned into the Regular British Army in 2002 after prior service with The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service). An Infanteer by background, he commanded two Light Infantry Companies on Combat Operations and an Air Assault Company within 16 Air Assault Brigade, prior to Infantry Battalion Command at the Infantry Training Centre.

On the staff he served in Germany with 4th Armoured Brigade, 20th Armoured Brigade and finally as Chief of Staff for 7th Armoured Brigade (The Desert Rats). He has been the Military Assistant to the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe at SHAPE in Belgium, the Personal Projects Officer for COMISAF in Afghanistan and a Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for the British Army's Home Command in Aldershot, England.

As a 1*, he has deployed as the Deputy Commanding General for CJTF Operation Inherent Resolve, the US led Coalition Task Force to defeat ISIS, in Iraq and Syria, served as the Deputy Commanding General Manoeuvre of the 1st (US) Armored Division (Old Ironsides) in Fort Bliss, Texas, before becoming the Vice Director J5 at US EUCOM in Stuttgart, Germany. He then deployed to the newly formed NATO Security Assistance and Training Ukraine Headquarters in Wiesbaden Germany, where he completed a 15 month tour as the Assistant Commander Force Development Support. He was promoted to Major General in December 2025 and deployed as the Deputy Commander of the Multi National Force Ukraine, responsible for post conflict reassurance and regeneration activity by the Coalition of the Willing. He assumed his current appointment as DCOM NSATU in August 2026.

He is a graduate of both the UK and US Army Staff Colleges, and completed the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) gaining a Masters Degree in Theatre Operations. He graduated from the UK Higher Command and Staff College in 2021, the US Army ASEP-C program in 2023 and the Royal College of Defence Studies PINNACLE programme in 2026. He was awarded the US Legion of Merit in 2022; the Ukrainian Cross of Honour by Defence Minister Umerov in 2024; the Cross of Merit by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2025; and was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in the 2026 Kings Birthday Honours List.

He has deployed on Operations in the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, with the usual training and support missions worldwide, including Ukraine.

Outside of the Army, he enjoys travelling with his Flight Attendant wife, messing about in boats or climbing drumlins in his beloved Northern Ireland, and, largely unsuccessfully, trying to beat either of his two children at Fortnite.