The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister for Defence and provides advice on matters that relate to military activity, including military operations.[2] In a diarchy, the CDF serves as co-chairman of the Defence Committee, conjointly with the Secretary of Defence, in the command and control of the Australian Defence Organisation.[3]
Constitutionally, the Governor-General of Australia, is the de jure Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. However, in practice, the Australian Governmentde facto exercises executive power via the Federal Executive Council.[5] The CDF is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of his/her ministers. The appointment is politically neutral, as are all military positions, and not affected by a change of government.
Since 4 July 2014, the CDF is appointed for a fixed four-year term under the Defence Act (1903). Prior to this date, the appointment was for three years.[1] The position of CDF is notionally rotated between the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force. However, in practice this has not been the case; of eighteen appointees, nine have been from the Army, five from the Navy and four from the Air Force.[6] The current Chief of the Defence Force is GeneralAngus Campbell.
Prior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent; a Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) existed but no separate position was established as its senior officer. Instead, the senior service chief served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.[7] In March 1958, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells was appointed Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a role independent of and notionally senior to the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs. However, Wells and his successors did not command the Australian armed forces in any legal sense; the chairman had only an advisory role in the running of the separate services. In February 1976, COSC was dissolved and the new position of Chief of Defence Force Staff (CDFS) was created with command authority over the ADF. In October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force to more clearly reflect the role and its authority.[8]
Appointmentsedit
The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of the Defence Force or its preceding positions. The official title of the position at that period of time is listed immediately before the officers who held the role. The honours are as at the completion of the individual's term.
^"Chief of the Defence Force – Roles and Responsibilities". Department of Defence. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
^"The Secretary and Chief of the Defence Force – "the Diarchy"". Department of Defence. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
^[1] 10 USC 152. Chairman: appointment; grade and rank
^. Commonwealth of Australia. September 2009. ISBN978-0-9752387-2-1. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
^Horner, David (2002). . Command Papers. Canberra: Centre for Defence Leadership Studies, Australian Defence College. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
External linksedit
Australian Government. "Department of Defence". Commonwealth of Australia.
"Defence Organisational Structure Chart" (PDF). Department of Defence. Commonwealth of Australia. 21 September 2015.
December 02, 2023
chief, defence, force, australia, chief, defence, force, highest, ranking, most, senior, military, officer, australian, defence, force, principal, military, advisor, national, security, committee, minister, defence, current, chief, defence, force, general, ang. The Chief of the Defence Force CDF is the highest ranking and most senior military officer in the Australian Defence Force ADF and is the principal military advisor to the National Security Committee and the Minister for Defence The current Chief of the Defence Force is General Angus Campbell who took office on 6 July 2018 Chief of the Defence ForceIncumbentAngus Campbellsince 6 July 2018StyleAdmiralGeneralAir Chief MarshalAbbreviationCDFMember ofAustralian Defence ForceReports toMinister for DefenceTerm lengthFour years 1 Formation23 March 1958First holderLieutenant GeneralSir Henry WellsDeputyVice Chief of the Defence ForceWebsiteOfficial website Contents 1 Responsibilities 2 History 3 Appointments 3 1 Timeline 4 References 5 External linksResponsibilities editThe CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister for Defence and provides advice on matters that relate to military activity including military operations 2 In a diarchy the CDF serves as co chairman of the Defence Committee conjointly with the Secretary of Defence in the command and control of the Australian Defence Organisation 3 The CDF is the Australian equivalent position of what in NATO and the European Union is known as the Chief of Defence in the United Kingdom is known as the Chief of the Defence Staff and in the United States is known as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff although with the latter prohibited by law from having operational command authority over the US Armed Forces 4 Constitutionally the Governor General of Australia is the de jure Commander in Chief of the Australian Defence Force However in practice the Australian Government de facto exercises executive power via the Federal Executive Council 5 The CDF is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of his her ministers The appointment is politically neutral as are all military positions and not affected by a change of government Since 4 July 2014 the CDF is appointed for a fixed four year term under the Defence Act 1903 Prior to this date the appointment was for three years 1 The position of CDF is notionally rotated between the Royal Australian Navy the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force However in practice this has not been the case of eighteen appointees nine have been from the Army five from the Navy and four from the Air Force 6 The current Chief of the Defence Force is General Angus Campbell During peacetime the Chief of the Defence Force is the only four star officer in the ADF admiral general or air chief marshal The CDF is assisted by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force VCDF and serves as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Service Committee composed of the service chiefs the Chief of Navy CN Chief of Army CA and Chief of Air Force CAF all of whom are three star officers vice admiral lieutenant general and air marshal as is the VCDF History editPrior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent a Chiefs of Staff Committee COSC existed but no separate position was established as its senior officer Instead the senior service chief served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 7 In March 1958 Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells was appointed Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee a role independent of and notionally senior to the Army Navy and Air Force chiefs However Wells and his successors did not command the Australian armed forces in any legal sense the chairman had only an advisory role in the running of the separate services In February 1976 COSC was dissolved and the new position of Chief of Defence Force Staff CDFS was created with command authority over the ADF In October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force to more clearly reflect the role and its authority 8 Appointments editThe following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of the Defence Force or its preceding positions The official title of the position at that period of time is listed immediately before the officers who held the role The honours are as at the completion of the individual s term No Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Defence branchChairman Chiefs of Staff Committee1 nbsp Wells Henry Lieutenant GeneralSir Henry Wells KBE CB DSO 1898 1973 23 March 195822 March 1959364 daysArmy2 nbsp Dowling Roy Vice AdmiralSir Roy Dowling KBE CB DSO 1901 1969 23 March 195927 May 19612 years 65 daysNavy3 nbsp Scherger Frederick Air Chief MarshalSir Frederick Scherger KBE CB DSO AFC 1904 1984 28 May 196118 May 19664 years 355 daysAir force4 nbsp Wilton John GeneralSir John Wilton KBE CB DSO 1910 1981 19 May 196622 November 19704 years 187 daysArmy5 nbsp Smith Victor AdmiralSir Victor Smith AC KBE CB DSC 1913 1998 23 November 197023 November 19755 years 0 daysNavy6 nbsp Hassett Frank GeneralFrank Hassett AC CB CBE DSO LVO 1918 2008 24 November 19758 February 197676 daysArmyChief of Defence Force Staff6 nbsp Hassett Frank GeneralSir Frank Hassett AC KBE CB DSO LVO 1918 2008 9 February 197620 April 19771 year 70 daysArmy7 nbsp MacDonald Arthur GeneralSir Arthur MacDonald KBE CB 1919 1995 21 April 197720 April 19791 year 364 daysArmy8 nbsp Synnot Arthur AdmiralSir Anthony Synnot KBE AO 1922 2001 21 April 197920 April 19822 years 364 daysNavy9 nbsp McNamara Neville Air Chief MarshalSir Neville McNamara KBE AO AFC AE 1923 2014 21 April 198212 April 19841 year 357 daysAir force10 nbsp Bennett Phillip GeneralSir Phillip Bennett AC KBE DSO born 1928 13 April 198425 October 1984195 daysArmyChief of the Defence Force10 nbsp Bennett Phillip GeneralSir Phillip Bennett AC KBE DSO born 1928 26 October 198412 April 19872 years 168 daysArmy11 nbsp Gration Peter GeneralPeter Gration AC OBE born 1932 13 April 198716 April 19936 years 3 daysArmy12 nbsp Beaumont Alan AdmiralAlan Beaumont AC 1934 2004 17 April 19936 July 19952 years 80 daysNavy13 nbsp Baker John GeneralJohn Baker AC DSM 1936 2007 7 July 19953 July 19982 years 361 daysArmy14 nbsp Barrie Chris AdmiralChris Barrie AC born 1945 4 July 19983 July 20023 years 364 daysNavy15 nbsp Cosgrove Peter GeneralPeter Cosgrove AC MC born 1947 4 July 20023 July 20052 years 364 daysArmy16 nbsp Houston Angus Air Chief MarshalAngus Houston AC AFC born 1947 4 July 20053 July 20115 years 364 daysAir force17 nbsp Hurley David GeneralDavid Hurley AC DSC born 1953 4 July 201130 June 20142 years 361 daysArmy18 nbsp Binskin Mark Air Chief MarshalMark Binskin AC born 1960 30 June 20146 July 20184 years 6 daysAir force19 nbsp Campbell Angus GeneralAngus Campbell AO DSC6 July 2018Incumbent5 years 142 daysArmyTimeline editReferences edit a b New Australian Defence Force Command Team Press release Office of the Prime Minister of Australia 4 April 2014 Archived from the original on 5 November 2014 Retrieved 30 June 2014 Chief of the Defence Force Roles and Responsibilities Department of Defence Retrieved 8 January 2016 The Secretary and Chief of the Defence Force the Diarchy Department of Defence Retrieved 8 January 2016 1 10 USC 152 Chairman appointment grade and rank Federal Executive Council Handbook Commonwealth of Australia September 2009 ISBN 978 0 9752387 2 1 Archived from the original on 27 April 2015 Retrieved 7 January 2015 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Chief of the Defence Force Previous Chiefs Department of Defence Archived from the original on 30 January 2009 Retrieved 29 March 2008 Rowell Full Circle p 178 Horner David 2002 The Evolution of Australian Higher Command Arrangements Command Papers Canberra Centre for Defence Leadership Studies Australian Defence College Archived from the original on 16 July 2012 External links editAustralian Government Department of Defence Commonwealth of Australia Defence Organisational Structure Chart PDF Department of Defence Commonwealth of Australia 21 September 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chief of the Defence Force Australia amp oldid 1182468257, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
