A Royal Air Force veteran has become the first Punjabi Sikh to receive the Third Clasp to the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, after 45 years of service.
Warrant Officer Balbir Singh Flora received the honour at the Chief of the Air Staff’s Commendation Awards ceremony at RAF College Cranwell, Lincolnshire.
The ceremony, presented by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Harvey Smyth, recognised 17 recipients and included a flypast and a performance by the RAF band.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1959, Mr Flora moved to the UK with his family. He joined the RAF aged 17 and is now its most senior Sikh serving in a non-commissioned rank. He also works with the RAF Air Cadets, supporting young people involved with the organisation.
“It is a great honour to receive this recognition after 45 years of service,” he said. “I am proud to have served in the Royal Air Force.”
Mr Flora said he hoped his career would encourage people from Sikh and Punjabi communities to consider joining the RAF. His family and friends attended the ceremony, and he thanked them, alongside his colleagues, for their support throughout his career.
The award recognises Mr Flora’s decades of service and marks a milestone for Punjabi Sikhs in the RAF. His work with the Air Cadets also gives him the opportunity to support and inspire younger generations.
