Event Director

COLONEL J P PENHALE (JON) Late RIFLES
Assistant Commander South West

Col Penhale commissioned into The Royal Gloucestershire Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment in 1997 and was posted to Colchester as a Platoon Commander. After an instructional post at ATR Regiment Lichfield, Col Penhale returned to 1 RGBW in Ballykinler where he was employed as the Bn Training Officer, Coy 2IC and OC Anti-Tank Pl before attending Staff College, Junior Division. On completion of the course Col Penhale was posted to The Rifles Volunteers (now 6 RIFLES) as Adjutant before a spell in HQ 12 Mech Bde as SO3 G2, including deployment on Op TELIC 6. Col Penhale attended ICSC in 2005 and was posted to the Infantry Battle School as SO2 Plans before taking command of the Bde Surveillance Company on Op TELIC 13 with 5 RIFLES. Col Penhale was posted to HQ Collective Training Group as SO2 Strategy/Plans where he had a significant impact on how HERRICK MST was delivered. After this posting Col Penhale left the Regular Army and moved into reserve service.

In the Army Reserve Col Penhale was posted to 6 RIFLES as the Training Major (R). He was a member of the Reserve Officer Career Review Team in 2014 and promoted to Lt Col the same year. On promotion he became Deputy President at Westbury where he was responsible for the selection of future regular and reserve army officers. Col Penhale commanded 6 RIFLES 2016 - 19. After which he joined LWC Trg Plans as SO1 Trg Plans (focussed on TacCIS and Info Manoeuvre training) before moving to HQ Inf in 2023 as Inf Res Policy lead. Col Penhale was promoted Colonel and appointed Assistant Commander South West in August 2025.

Col Penhale’s operational deployments include NI (South Armagh, Ballykinler), Bosnia and Iraq (TELIC 6 & 13).

As a civilian Col Penhale works as a senior civil servant leading large scale capability programmes in HMRC. He lives with his partner Tamsin and embraces all things fitness related, including open water swimming, mountaineering, skiing and surfing.