Dr Dennis Blease

Dennis served in the British Army for 36 years and retired as a Brigadier. His service took him around the world and included nine operational tours. He spent his last ten years in uniform working mainly with NATO, but also with the EU and the UN. As Commander of NATO’s mission in the Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia), he assisted the country in reforming its security sector and governance arrangements (2004-2005).  This role was then expanded by NATO to cover the whole of the Western Balkans (2006-2008).  It included being an Advisor to the UN Special Envoy for Kosovo, the former Finnish President and Nobel Peace Laureate, Martti Ahtisaari (2006-2007).

He retired from the British Army in 2008 and initially worked for Cranfield University, providing support to the UK’s Stabilisation Unit in London and the Foreign Office in Palestine.  Since 2012 he has been an independent consultant, lecturing and advising on security and justice reform.  Principally this has been on behalf of the EU but also for the Geneva-based International Security Sector Advisory Team in post-authoritarian and post-conflict countries. His consultancy work contributed to his doctoral studies at Cranfield University, Shrivenham, where he gained his PhD in 2018.  He retired from his consultancy business in 2020. 

Dennis has lived in the Vale of White Horse since 2008 and is a member of the Oxfordshire Historical Churches Trust and a Fellow of St Birinus. He is Church Warden of his local church and a member of its PCC, as well as being a board member of a Village Trust.  He was appointed a DL in 2018.

Dennis is married to Kathy and they live in Longcot.  He is our town DL for Wantage.