Brigadier Ed Cartwright

Commander 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team

Brigadier Ed Cartwright commissioned into The Parachute Regiment in 2002 and commanded a rifle platoon during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Two tours of Northern Ireland followed, the first with The Parachute Regiment, the second on attachment to The Royal Irish Regiment. From 2006, he commanded on operations during three tours of Iraq and two in Afghanistan. In 2014 he commanded the first sabre squadron deployed to northern Iraq to reverse the advance of ISIS across the Levant, for which he was awarded the OBE. Most recently spent 12 months as the Chief of the Defence Staff's Liaison Officer in Eastern Europe, for which he was awarded the CBE. On the staff, Ed has served as the Military Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff, and in Media Operations and Special Forces Plans in the Ministry of Defence. He studied Geography at Oxford University and gained a Masters in International Relations and Security Studies from King's College London as part of the Advanced Command and Staff College. Ed assumed command of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team in June 2025.