Duncan Lewis
| Duncan Edward Lewis AO DSC CSC |
|
|---|---|
| Secretary of the (Australian) Department of Defence | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Dr Ian Watt |
| 1st National Security Advisor | |
| In office 2008–2011 |
|
| Preceded by | New Creation |
| Succeeded by | Dr Margot McCarthy |
| Personal details | |
| Profession | Military |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Australia |
| Service/branch | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1975–2005 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | Special Air Service Regiment Commander Sector West UNTAET Special Operations Commander Australia |
| Battles/wars | 1982 Lebanon War (UNTSO) International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) |
Major General (ret'd) Duncan Edward Lewis AO, DSC, CSC (born 1954), is a retired Australian Army officer and former Commander Special Forces. He is currently the Secretary of the Australian Department of Defence.
Contents |
[edit] Military career
Duncan Lewis graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1975. Following graduation, he was assigned to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales and a Graduate Diploma in Defence Studies and Management from Deakin University. He attended the British Army Staff College, Camberley and the U.S. Army War College.[1]
During his career, Lewis served three postings with the Special Air Service Regiment, later commanding the Regiment from1990 to 1992. For this service, Lewis was decorated with the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC).[2]
From 1994 to 1996, Lewis was Australian Army Attache in Jakarta, and during the INTERFET period he was appointed the Australian Defence Force (ADF) spokesman on East Timor.[citation needed]
Lewis was promoted to Brigadier in January 2000 and appointed Commander Sector West UNTAET in East Timor, where he commanded Australian and New Zealand forces. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his accomplishments with the unit.[3]
Lewis assumed his appointment as Commander Special Forces in January 2001, and was promoted to the rank of Major General on 19 December 2002. In the Australia Day Honors list of 2005, Lewis was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.[4]
[edit] Post-military career
Subsequent to his retirement from the Army in 2005, Lewis was appointed to the position of First Assistant Secretary of the National Security Division in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In December 2008, he began serving as National Security Adviser to the Rudd Labor Government.[1] On 5 August 2011 it was announced that he would be appointed the secretary of the Department of Defence, effective early September.[5] Lewis is the first former military officer to be appointed to this position.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (2008) Appointment of National Security Adviser. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
- ^ It's an Honour - Conspicuous Service Cross
- ^ It's an Honour - Distinguished Service Cross
- ^ It's an Honour - Officer of the Order of Australia
- ^ Clarissa Thorpe and Penny McLintock (5 August 2011). "PS shake-up as Moran retires". ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-05/ps-shake-up-as-moran-retires/2825660. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ Ellery, David (6 August 2011). "Watt takes Defence’s secrets into the top job". The Canberra Times. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/watt-takes-defences-secrets-into-the-top-job/2250220.aspx?storypage=0. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
[edit] External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New creation |
Special Operations Commander 2002–2004 |
Succeeded by MAJGEN Mike Hindmarsh |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Dr Ian Watt |
Secretary of Defence 2011- |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by New creation |
National Security Adviser 2008-2011 |
Succeeded by Dr Margot McCarthy |
- 1954 births
- Australian generals
- Australian military personnel of the International Force for East Timor
- Royal Military College, Duntroon graduates
- Living people
- Officers of the Order of Australia
- Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
- University of New South Wales alumni
- Secretaries of the Australian Department of Defence
