He served on the Planning Staff in the Northern Ireland Office from 1979 to 1981, was an Instructor at the Staff College during 1981–1982, and spent two years as Military Assistant to the Adjutant-General (1982–1984) before commanding the 1st Battalion the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment from 1984 to 1987. After some months on the Operations Staff at UK Land Forces, in 1987 he took up the command of the 39th Infantry Brigade for two years. he was Director of Public Relations (Army), from 1990 to 1992, Director of Infantry, 1992 to 1994.
