Freddie Viggers Lieutenant - General Sir Frederick Richard " Freddie " Viggers , KCB , CMG , MBE , DL is a former senior British Army officer , who served as Adjutant - General to the Forces immediately prior to his retirement 2008 . He served as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from 30 April 2009 to 28 October 2010 . He also served in Bosnia in the aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia , and in the Iraq War . Early career . Viggers was educated at Wellington School , Somerset and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst . He was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery as a second lieutenant on 14 April 1972 . He was promoted lieutenant on 14 October 1973 , and captain on 14 April 1978 , In 1983 he attended Staff College , Camberley and was promoted major on 30 September 1983 , and assumed command of a battery of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery ( 3RHA ) . In December 1985 he was appointed Chief of Staff to 1st Infantry Brigade , the brigade ' s main task was as NATO ' s " UK Mobile Force " , which would have seen it reinforcing Denmark , or the Schleswig - Holstein area of Germany . As a result of his performance in this post , especially for his organisation of British participation in the NATO multi - national Operation Bold Guard , he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE ) in the 1988 New Year Honours . The citation for this honour remarked : " 1st Infantry Brigade is closer in size to a normal division [ , its ] strength rising to over 15 , 000 when formed into the United Kingdom Mobile Force ( UKMF ) . [ . . . ] Viggers enjoys a responsibility and workload far greater than that normally given to a Grade 2 officer . [ . . . His contribution ] has been quite outstanding , and far beyond the call of duty expected of an officer of his age and service . " He was promoted lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1988 , and was initially posted to the directing staff at Camberley before taking command of 3RHA in 1989 . The regiment transferred from Germany to Colchester Garrison in early 1990 , joining 19th Infantry Brigade . Bosnia and Iraq . Viggers was promoted colonel on 30 June 1992 , and served at the Ministry of Defence in the Central Staff Directorate of Defence Policy , transferring to the Defence Costs Study Secretariat in 1993 . Promoted brigadier on 30 December 1994 ( with seniority from 30 June 1994 ) , he became Commander , Royal Artillery in HQ 3 ( UK ) Division in 1994 and attended the Higher Command and Staff Course before deploying to Bosnia with the division as part of the NATO Implementation Force ( IFOR ) . He was then posted as Director of Manning ( Army ) in 1997 , and was appointed Honorary Colonel of 100th ( Yeomanry ) Regiment Royal Artillery ( Volunteers ) on 31 December 1997 , holding that appointment until 17 February 2001 . On 24 March 1999 Viggers returned to Bosnia as Commander Multi - National Division ( South - West ) in SFOR and was granted acting promotion to major general ) , substantive promotion followed on 1 September 1999 ( with seniority from the date of his acting rank ) . For his service there , he was awarded the Queen ’ s Commendation for Valuable Service on 3 November 2000 . On 9 February 2000 he became Chief of Staff at Land Command and remained there until May 2003 . He received a further honorary appointment on 11 May 2000 when he became Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Adjutant General ' s Corps . In May 2003 he was appointed Senior British Military Representative and Deputy Commanding General , Multinational Force , Iraq , based in Baghdad following its occupation by US and British forces ; for his service there he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George ( CMG ) on 23 April 2004 . His next post was as Military Secretary and Chief Executive Army Personnel Centre which he took up on 20 October 2003 . Adjutant General . On 4 April 2005 Viggers became Adjutant General , and was promoted lieutenant general . He became Colonel Commandant Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 2005 , and Colonel Commandant Adjutant General ’ s Corps on 3 November 2003 , holding that appointment until 28 July 2008 . He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath ( KCB ) in the New Year Honours 2007 . He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire in June 2008 . Viggers ' s period as Adjutant General coincided with heavy commitments for the British Army , which led to increased media discussion of the pay and conditions in the British Armed forces . He spoke out against the conditions in some barracks , and of the need for improved funding to bring accommodation stock up - to - date . On 7 May 2007 " The Mail on Sunday " published an article claiming that his house had been renovated at the taxpayers ' expense , and he was also named in a 26 May article on the amount spent on accommodation and servants for high - ranking army officers . However Viggers complained to the Press Complaints Commission and " The Mail on Sunday " subsequently printed an apology , accepting that the accommodation renovated was in fact an MOD property , and he had not been to blame for the state of military housing . He also issued an apology and authorised the payment of £3 million in compensation to the families of Baha Mousa and nine other Iraqis tortured by British troops . Retirement . Viggers retired on 29 October 2008 . In December 2008 it was announced that he had been appointed to the House of Lords position of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod . He replaced Sir Michael Willcocks on 30 April 2009 when Willcocks retired . On 18 May 2010 , he was due to take part in the ceremonial opening of Parliament following the 2010 general election , but he suffered a multiple stroke and was unable to attend . His place was taken by his deputy , the Yeoman Usher , Ted Lloyd - Jukes . He resigned as Black Rod because of ill health on 28 October 2010 . Viggers is married with two children , and has a keen interest in sport . He is a trustee of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust which assists British Army regimental and corps museums ; he is also an Honorary Fellow , and member of the advisory group , of the Institute of Continuing Professional Development ; and has assisted in running events for the Army Benevolent Fund . On 9 December 2009 , Viggers gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry in which he was highly critical of the administration of post - war Iraq .