General Sir Patrick Sanders honoured by the University of Exeter
General Sir Patrick Sanders joked his honorary degree was a “massive lapse of judgement"
The former Chief of the General Staff urged graduates to be “superhuman” and make finding their purpose their life’s work as he was recognised by the University of Exeter.
General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO ADC joked his honorary degree was a “massive lapse of judgement from some people who really should know better” because he had left the University of Exeter after a year – but now 41 years later he was finally giving his parents what they had wanted.
He told graduates his story “might serve as a cautionary tale study in redemption” and a lesson “that failure is not final”.
“I owe Exeter a lifelong debt of gratitude for holding me to a higher standard. Because excellence begins with knowing where the line is drawn.”
Patrick was raised in Norway, Gibraltar and Iraq, he was commissioned in 1986 and spent his early service as an Infantry Officer in The Royal Green Jackets in Germany, Norway and the UK. He has commanded on operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is known for his openness to technology and innovation and steering the Army through a difficult period in its history, as well as championing LGBT rights and destigmatising discussion about mental health.
Patrick said because of his career, he had a “deep faith in the revolutionary power” of young people and had faith in their ability to tackle the tensions in the world and cope with the rapid pace of technological change.
He told graduates: “if in doubt always go for audacity” and “I don’t fear you won’t succeed, I worry you won’t fail enough”.
Patrick also encouraged them to “find someone who spurs you and believes in you” and to “double down on the qualities that make your mother and father proud and that will inspire and mould your children”.
Patrick has been a member of the Directing Staff at the Joint Staff College, Pol/Mil adviser for the Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq in 2003-4, Colonel Army Strategy, Chief of Defence Staff’s Liaison Officer to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) in the MOD.
He has commanded 20 Armoured Brigade, the 3rd (UK) Division, and the Field Army. Promoted to General in May 2019, he commanded UK Strategic Command until May 2022 and became Chief of the General Staff in June 2022.
He is Colonel Commandant of The Honourable Artillery Company, Honorary Colonel of the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment and President of the Armed Forces Winter Sports Association. He speaks French and Norwegian, colloquial Spanish and can tell when he is being insulted in Arabic, Pashtun, Dari, Albanian and Serbo-Croat.
