Barbara Cooper (RAF officer)

Barbara Cooper
Air Cdre Cooper, photographed in 2008
Born	1958 (age 58–59) Canada
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1979–2012
Rank	Air Commodore
Service number	8032068L
Commands held	Air Cadet Organisation
Battles/wars	Gulf War Operation Telic
Awards	Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Air Commodore Barbara Cooper, CBE (born 1958) is a retired British Royal Air Force officer and former Commandant of the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO). She was promoted to Air Commodore in 2008 and became the RAF's highest-ranking female. She became the Assistant Chief of Staff (Manning) at Air Command headquarters. She previously served at the tri-Service military Defence Academy in Shrivenham as Division Director.

Born in Canada, Cooper moved with her family to Britain aged eleven. She lived in Worcestershire, where she attended Evesham High School.

On a short service commission in 1979, Cooper joined the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) in the role of air-traffic controller, at a time when far fewer women were in the Service. She served for seven years. She was promoted from flying officer to flight lieutenant on 3 June 1984. She transferred to the reserves on 2 February 1985.

On leaving, she went on to gain qualifications in property management. Finding she missed the Service, she chose to return to the WRAF, entering the Administrative Branch as a flight lieutenant on 16 October 1987 with seniority from 16 April 1987.

Since the 1980s, Cooper has had a number of postings, including as staff officer to the Chief of the Air Staff (the most senior position in the RAF). During the Gulf War, she had responsibility for running the Prisoner of War Information Bureau, acting as liaison to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Cooper was promoted to squadron leader on 5 January 1993, and to wing commander on 1 July 1997.