From the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Major General Patrick Marriott received his commission into the 17th/21st Lancers, a reconnaissance unit, in 1977.
Early in his career, he served in the Sinai, the MOD, Northern Ireland, Germany, Norway, and Germany.
He continued his military career in Canada, Belgium, and the UK until taking over The Queen’s Royal Lancers’ command in 1998.
During the Kosovo Crisis, the Regiment was sent to Bosnia, for which he received an OBE.
After that, he held staff positions, notably that of 1st (UK) Armoured Division Chief of Staff during the 2003 Iraqi invasion, for which he was given the CBE.
Following that, he held the positions of Commandant at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Director General of Army Leadership, which involved a deployment to Iraq in 2005–2006 for which he received The Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service. He retired the same year he was promoted to CB in 2012.
He re-entered the Army Reserve as a major general, and from 2015 until 2020, he presided over higher service complaints panels on behalf of the Army Board.
Since 2017, he has served as the chairman of the board of trustees for The Young Karers of East Sutherland (“Tykes”), a mental health charity for veterans.
He previously served as chairman of the Scottish Committee on Combat Stress.
In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of the Friends of Sutherland Veterans, he has served as a Trustee of The Desert Rats Association since 2012.
Most recently, he was elected president of the SSAFA, The Armed Forces Charity, Sutherland Branch.
In 2013 he was made Deputy Lieutenant, and in 2021 Vice Lord-Lieutenant.