Colonel Lucy Giles is the current President of the Army Officer Selection Board, where she is responsible for Regular, Reservist & Cadet Forces officer selection into the British Army and was previously the first female College Commander in The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst’s 200 year history.

Lucy joined the Army in 1992 and saw regimental duty in Germany, followed by tours of Bosnia and in South Africa. On being promoted to Major, she was posted to 5 Airborne Brigade with tours to East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Bosnia again.

Lucy commanded 47 Air Despatch Squadron Royal Logistic Corps enabling operations in Iraq and Afghanistan before joining Headquarters Directorate Royal Logistic Corps. This was followed by a tour at a training regiment and a teaching appointment at the Joint Services Command and Staff College.

At the inaugural Women in Defence event in 2016, Lucy was given the Inspirational Award and the Woman of the Year Award. She is an ambassador for First Women UK, was in the Times 500 People of Influence 2016 and featured on the BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2021. 

She is married to Colonel Nick Pond RA. They have a daughter, Jessica and a son, Alexander. Lucy enjoys drama and is a leader with Girl Guides. She also coaches orienteering and competes at UK Armed Forces level.

In 2021 she completed the Marathon des Sables for Walking With The Wounded, a six-day, 251 km ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert, regarded as the toughest foot race on Earth.

Hear Colonel Lucy Giles on Desert Island Discs 

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