British Defence Staff – US

The British Defence Staff – US, which was previously known as British Defence Staff (Washington), is the home of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) in the United States of America and its purpose is to serve the interests of Her Majesty's Government in the USA. The British Defence Staff – US is led by the Defence Attaché and has responsibility for military and civilian MOD personnel located both within the Embassy and in 34 states across the USA.

British Defence Staff – US alongside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments collectively serve the interests of Her Majesty’s Government in the USA.

The British Defence Staff in the United States is led by the Defence Attaché Major-General Francis Hedley Robertson "Buster" Howes, CB, OBE. The Defence Attaché is the British Ambassador's senior adviser on defence issues, and as Head of the British Defence Staff in the United States has responsibility over 385 military and civilian MOD personnel located both within the Embassy and in 34 states across the USA. The Defence Attaché is drawn rotationally from each of the three Services.

BDS-US Command Group Major-General Francis Hedley Robertson "Buster" Howes, CB, OBE & Will Jessett CBE, Minister Defence Materiel, former director (CT&UkOps) at the MoD UK - Leading the Defence Staff in the US.