[2] Finding she missed the service, she chose to return to the WRAF, entering the Administrative Branch as a flight lieutenant on 16 October 1987 with seniority from 16 April 1987.

[13] She was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 October 2003 "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in connection with operations in Iraq during the period 19th March to 19th April 2003".

[15] From 2007 Cooper was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff Manpower and Personnel Capability at RAF Air Command HQ.

At the beginning of the following year, Cooper was promoted from group captain to the rank of air commodore, becoming the most senior female officer in the British armed forces.

[2] Her first public appearance in her new Commandant role followed one week later at the Cadet150 reception commemorating 150 years of the Cadet Forces of the tri-Service military.

The following month she attended the second of the two sesquicentenary events, a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, where she spoke to Air Training Corps members from all over the UK.