General Sir Patrick Sanders has served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, rising through the ranks from Infantry Officer to Head of the Army. It's not a position he expected to reach and says "my first sergeant would never have seen this coming".
He's spoken candidly about experiencing depression following a tour in Iraq, having lost a number of his own infantry regiment, encouraging others to seek help.
Most recently General Sanders has ignited debate about the size of the army, suggesting that the "pre-war generation" should be prepared for the possibility of a potential land war, stating "Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them."
As he prepares to leave the post of Chief of the General Staff (CGS), Mark Coles looks at the life and career of General Sir Patrick Sanders, speaking to some of the family, friends and colleagues who know him best.
Credits The Benedictine Monks of Worth Abbey Centre For Army Leadership Podcast British Army Time to Talk BFBS Sitrep Podcast GB News
Presenter: Mark Coles Production: Ellie House and Diane Richardson Production Co-ordinators: Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Sound: Neil Churchill Editors: Richard Vadon and Matt Willis