Career
Burley was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1982. He became Commander of 8 Force Engineer Brigade (undertaking work at Camp Bastion and then in Basra) as well as Commander Royal Engineers for the Field Army before being appointed at the Land Warfare Centre. After a tour as Deputy Assistant for Organisation in Headquarters Land Command, he went on to be Assistant Commandant (Land) at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in December 2009 and General Officer Commanding, Theatre Troops in 2011.
He became Military Secretary in March 2013.