 geoffrey charles van orden mbe (born 10 april 1945) is a british politician and former soldier. he is currently member of the european parliament for the east of england region for the conservative party. he was first elected to the european parliament in 1999. ==early life and career== van orden was born in waterlooville, hampshire in 1945. he attended the mons officer cadet school and was commissioned into the intelligence corps in 1964. he was promoted lieutenant in 1966, captain in 1970, major in 1977, lieutenant-colonel in 1983, colonel in 1988, and brigadier in 1991. he was appointed a member of the order of the british empire (mbe) aged just 27. he served worldwide as part of the british army from 1964 to 1985. in 1985 he became an instructor at the german armed forces staff college in hamburg (1985&ndash;88) and was later the chief of staff of the british army in the british sector of berlin (1988&ndash;90). in 1990 he worked as part of the assessment staff for the joint intelligence committee in london. from 1991 to 1994 he served as the executive secretary of international military staff at the nato headquarters in brussels, his final military appointment. in 1995 he was appointed as a senior official in the european commission for foreign and security policy issues. he held this post until 1999, when he was elected as a [[member of the european 
1945_births Alumni_of_the_University_of_Sussex Conservative_Party_(UK)_MEPs Intelligence_Corps_officers Living_people MEPs_for_the_United_Kingdom_1999a2004 MEPs_for_the_United_Kingdom_2004a09 MEPs_for_the_United_Kingdom_2009a14 MEPs_for_the_United_Kingdom_2014a19 Members_of_the_European_Parliament_for_English_constituencies Members_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire People_from_Waterlooville