Born and educated in N Ireland and then Scotland for the final two years of his university degree, Baron joined the RAF in 1998.
As a junior officer he flew Puma and Chinook helicopters. He saw operational service in N Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan and became a Qualified Helicopter Tactics instructor along the way.
As a Squadron Leader, he was a Puma helicopter flight commander and in staff appointments was a Counter Terrorism desk officer for the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa in PJHQ J3. He undertook HQ appointments as a deputy Air Commander in Afghanistan and for the London 2012 Olympic Games Air Security Plan.
As a Wing Commander, he has completed the UK’s Advanced Command and Staff Course and has commanded two Front-Line helicopter squadrons and the Aviation Task Force 3, seeing operational service on Op TORAL (Afghanistan) and Op RUMAN (disaster relief operations). On the staff, he has completed HQ appointments in the JHC, Air Command A3/5 and in the US Combined Air Ops Centre in the Middle East.
Baron was DACOS A5 in the RAF’s 11 Group Jan – Apr 2021 and the UK’s Deputy Air Component Commander in the Middle East region, notably supporting Op SHADER (Iraq and Syria) and Op PITTING (Afghanistan evacuation). He is currently the Military Assistant Head in the Ministry of Defence’s ‘Strategic Hub’ in MOD Main Building.