Mark Carleton-Smith

Major-General Mark Carleton-Smith CBE is a senior British Army officer who is serving as Director Special Forces.

Military career
Carleton-Smith was educated at Eton College and commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1986. After serving as a Brigade Chief-of-Staff during the Kosovo War, he became Commanding Officer of 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 2002 and saw service in that role in Iraq and Afghanistan. He became Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade in 2007 and was deployed to Afghanistan as Commander of Task Force Helmand and Commander of British Forces there. In August 2008 he led Operation Eagle's Summit which involved a daring foray into Taliban territory.

He became Director of Army Plans and Resources at the Ministry of Defence in January 2009 and Director Special Forces in February 2012.