Major Peter Chilvers

Training

A British Army officer sat in a conference room on a leather chair leaning onto the desk.
“I am really passionate about the subject, as I genuinely feel that adopting a human security approach to operations gives us a better chance of success, enables better outcomes, increases legitimacy and in so doing wins the moral battle.”

Major Peter Chilvers provides subject matter expertise (SME) in the field of ‘human security’ (HS) for the Defence Leadership and Business Group (DLaB). Prior to joining the Defence Academy in 2022, Peter had a long civilian career, spanning four decades, working in conflict-affected countries, during which he also had a military career in the reserves.

“My role is essentially cohering and fusing perspectives and understanding of conflict, gained by years of working in fragile and conflict affected places, with how UK defence thinks, functions and operates.”

Day-to-day life in DLaB sees Peter primarily provide course manager support to the Human Security in Military Operations, Defence Human Security Advisor course including lesson delivery and supporting external training provided by defence and partners. He also provides bespoke HS lessons for individual unit and formation training.

“The Human Security course offers an opportunity to bring together academics and civilian representatives with UK defence actors, in a way which aids the mutual understanding of how each other work and the constraints they face. The course also has international students, which contributes toward defence engagement and diplomacy objectives. This enables the UK to act as a force for good by influencing partner nations, building strong relationships.”

Outside the classroom but directly aiding the course syllabus, Peter writes content for a series of HS e-Learning courses, working closely with the Learning Capability and Development Group.

As a Human Security SME with extensive field and operational experience, Peter also assists and supports doctrine and policy development with Defence Futures and the MOD Policy Team. He is a member of the MOD Security Policy and Operations Human Security Implementation Working Group, applying a 12-year change programme on HS in UK defence.

Peter’s web of expertise is also cast wider across the whole Academy. He has provided floor walking exercises for the Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Land), providing a HS perspective. He has also built strong relationships with international partners, teaching HS elements on the Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context course for International Section. He collaborates with Defence Futures on doctrine and works with the Building Integrity team on counter corruption, which is a key cross-cutting theme of HS.

“The Defence Academy is a great place to live and work. Part of this is thanks to the diverse nature of those who work here, whether they be military, civil servants, academics or contract staff."
"The natural environment also plays its part, with a large well laid out site of parklands, historic buildings and extensive sports facilities. The Academy is a world-renowned centre of education and learning and the prestige and gravitas that brings to the training delivered here makes it a pleasure to be part of such a respected institution.”