Major General Mike Riddell-Webster joined The Black Watch in April 1983 when the Battalion was in West Belfast. Prior to Staff College, he served with the Battalion in Germany (Werl and Berlin), Northern Ireland (West Belfast, South Armagh and Ballykinler) and Scotland. In the time that he has commanded a platoon, been a Company Second in Command, the Regimental Signals Officer and the Adjutant. He was also the Aide de Campe to the General Officer Commanding Scotland for a few months immediately prior to Staff College.

Immediately post Staff College, Major General Riddell-Webster commanded a rifle company in 1BW in Hong Kong and Pirbright. Company command was followed by an SO2 tour in the Procurement Executive, working for the Master General of the Ordnance. Major General Riddell-Webster then returned to 1BW as the Second in Command for a year, prior to promotion and taking up the post of MA/CDS from December 1997 until February 2000. A short tour in Bosnia followed as the Chief G2/G3 in HQ MND(SW). Major General Riddell-Webster assumed command of 1BW in December 2000. The Battalion deployed to Pristina on Op AGRICOLA VI between July – November 2001 and on Op TELIC between February – June 2003. Post command, Major General Riddell-Webster was appointed Deputy Director Ground Manoeuvre, in the Equipment Capability area, a post he held between December 2003 and December 2005. He commanded 39 Infantry Brigade between December 2005 and the end of Op BANNER on 31 July 2007, when the Brigade was renamed as 38 (Irish) Brigade.  He was Director of the Army Department at the JSCSC for a year from September 2007 before returning to the MOD as Director Equipment Capability (later Head of Capability) Ground Manoeuvre.  He attended the first 3 months at the RCDS in late 2011 prior to assuming the appointment of Director of the College of Management and Technology in January 2012.