Graham Binns Major General Graham John Binns , CBE , DSO , MC is a retired British Army officer . Binns served as General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division and then Commandant Joint Services Command and Staff College . He had previously commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade ( the " Desert Rats " ) during Operation Telic 1 when they took Basra in southern Iraq . He is the Honorary Colonel of The Yorkshire Regiment and Chief Executive of Aegis Defence Services . Early life . Graham Binns was educated at Hymers College in Hull . Military career . Binns was commissioned on 11 December 1976 , into the General list . He was transferred to The Prince of Wales ' s Own Regiment of Yorkshire on 2 July 1977 . He was promoted to Lieutenant on 11 December 1978 . He was further promoted to Captain on 11 June 1983 . With this regiment he saw service in Germany , Norway , and the UK . Between 1986 and 1988 , he served in the Ministry of Defence . He then attended the Canadian Forces Command & Staff College in Toronto in 1988 , after which he was posted again to Northern Ireland , where he became Chief of Staff of 39th Infantry Brigade . He was promoted to Major on 30 September 1989 . He returned to The Prince of Wales ' s Own Regiment of Yorkshire in 1992 to command an armoured infantry company , mounted in Warrior tracked armoured vehicle s , with which he served a tour in Bosnia and participated in Operation Grapple . In 1994 , he spent some time as an exchange officer at the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning , Georgia . Binns was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1995 , and returned to Britain to join the Directing Staff at the Staff College , Camberley . In January 1997 , he returned once again to The Prince of Wales ' s Own Regiment of Yorkshire and participated in exercises in Kenya , Belize and Canada . It was during this time with the battalion that he once more saw service in Northern Ireland . In April 1999 , Binns became Chief of Crisis Plans Branch , Headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe and led the team responsible for NATO operational planning in the Balkans . He was promoted to Colonel on 30 June 1999 , with seniority from that date . He served as Chief of Staff at HQ KFOR , a NATO - led force under a United Nations mandate that operated the military mission in Kosovo . He was promoted to Brigadier on 31 December 2000 , with seniority from 30 June 2000 . In January 2001 , he assumed command of 7 Armoured Brigade and was involved in operations in the Balkans and the Middle East . He served as Assistant Chief of Staff Commitments at Land Command until December 2005 . Between this post and his next command , he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies . He was appointed to the honorary position of Deputy Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment on 6 June 2006 . He was appointed General Officer Commanding 1st ( UK ) Armoured Division on 1 October 2006 and promoted to Major General on the same day . Binns , having joined elements of 1st ( UK ) Armoured Division in Iraq where it formed HQ Multi - National Division ( South East ) , Iraq , signed a memorandum of understanding that returned the responsibility for running the province of Basra to local Iraqi leaders . He signed the document , along with General Mohan al - Furaiji and Governor Muhammad Wa ' ili , in a disused departure lounge of Basra airport . After returning to the UK in February 2008 , Binns was given the honorary appointment of Colonel - Commandant of The King ’ s Division on 10 December 2008 . In 2009 he took over command of the Joint Services Command and Staff College . He gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry about his role in the handing over of control on 15 January 2010 . After retiring in 2010 , he became chief executive of security company Aegis Defence Services . In 2011 he was appointed to the honorary position of Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment . Awards and decorations . On 12 May 1992 , the then Major Binns was appointed a Member of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire . The citation read : in recognition of Meritorious service in Northern Ireland . On 26 April 1994 , the then Major Binns was awarded the Military Cross for service in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . The citation read : in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the former Republic of Yugoslavia during the period April 1993 to November 1993 On 19 April 2002 , the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire . The citation read : in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the former Yugoslavia during the period 1 April 2001 to 30 September 2001 On 31 October 2003 , the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for service in Iraq . The citation read : in recognition of gallant and distinguished services whilst on operations in Iraq during the period 19 March to 19 April 2003 Personal life . Binns is married to Jennie . They have four children : Sophie ( born September 1985 ) , Thomas ( born May 1988 ) , Rosemary ( born March 1990 ) and Matilda ( born June 1992 ) . He enjoys many sports including golf , sailing and orienteering .