Scott Brown (Royal Navy officer)

The Reverend Scott James Brown, CBE, QHC (born 16 May 1968) is a Scottish Presbyterian minister and Royal Navy officer. He became Chaplain of the Fleet on 1 November 2010 and therefore the senior chaplain in the Royal Navy. He is accorded the equivalent rank of a rear admiral.

Early life
Brown was born in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 16 May 1968, the son of Margaret and Jim Brown of Hamilton. Educated at Hamilton Grammar School and Bell College of Technology. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1992.

Career
Following graduation, Brown underwent an assistantship at St Andrew's West, Falkirk from 1992 to 1993. He was ordained into the Church of Scotland in 1993 by the Presbytery of Hamilton.

Military career
Brown joined the Royal Navy in April 1993 and served in the ships of the Commodore Minewarfare, Fishery Protection and Diving, HMS Raleigh, HMS Neptune, and HMS Sultan. He then served on exchange with the Royal Australian Navy and then in HMS Cardiff, HMS Kent, and HMS Iron Duke. He then served with the Command Training Group, and was Staff Chaplain to the Chaplain of the Fleet. From 1999 to 2000, he served as Chaplain to the Very Reverend John Cairns during his term as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

He was promoted Principal Chaplain in 2007. He was appointed at the same time to be an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen (QHC). On 1 November 2010, he was appointed Chaplain of the Fleet.

Personal life
Brown entered into a civil partnership with Colin Fleming in 2006.

Honours and decorations
Brown was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.