Lieutenant Commander Nick Cowlishaw

The RNOC has recently helped my family during a particularly difficult situation. This assistance has given us one less thing to worry about and we will be forever grateful.

Within the Royal Navy the RNOC and ARNO aren’t as well-known as other charities and associations and I am keen to play my part as ambassador and raise our collective awareness of both organisations.​

Captain Digby Nelson

Digby spent 35 years in the Royal Navy as a Logistics Branch Officer, dividing his career between seatime in frigates and destroyers, and shore appointments at the MoD and Fleet HQ at Northwood. Following his retirement, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Royal Navy &Royal Marines Charity Group for five years, and is now CEO of a charitable foundation.

Commander Les Smith

Les joined the Royal Navy as a Direct Entry Seaman Officer in 1991. His career to date has included three operational tours with HMS Illustrious, two years on the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff, three years with the Queen Elizabeth Class programme and time as Director of the Royal Naval Division at the Joint Services Command & Staff College. He is currently on a two year tour in HQ British Forces South Atlantic Islands where he is charged with the long term planning of military operations in the region.

Lieutenant Commander Mike Klidjian

Mike joined the Royal Navy in 1999 and served for 18 years as a Warfare Officer. His career highlights included Boarding Officer of HMS Newcastle, Operations Officer of the first Type 45 Destroyer and Executive Officer of HMS Dauntless. He held this post for two years before being selected for the role of Military Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations). He retired from the Navy in 2017 and two creative writing courses later published the acclaimed thriller Bluestreak in August 2018. He now writes full time from his family home in Hampshire.