Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)

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The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, and is notionally coequal with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.

It is a fixed term appointment of three years, and is ideally rotated between the three services (Navy, Army and Air Force). However in practice this has not been the case: in the past 18 appointments, 10 have been from the Army, 5 from the Navy and only 3 from the Air Force.

The CDF is the only four-star officer in the ADF (General, Admiral or Air Chief Marshal). He is assisted by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, and the individual service chiefs (Chief of Navy, Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force), all of whom are three-star officers.

The CDF is appointed by the Prime Minister under advice of his cabinet. The appointment is politically neutral, as are all military positions, and not effected by a change of government.

Prior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent, as the three services were run separately.

[edit] Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (March 1958 - February 1976)

• Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells KBE CB DSO (March 1958 - March 1959)
• Vice Admiral Sir Roy Dowling KBE CB DSO ( March 1959 - May 1961)
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Scherger KBE CB DSO AFC (May 1961 - May 1966)
• General Sir John Wilton KBE CB DSO (May 1966 - November 1970)
• Admiral Sir Victor Smith AC KBE CB, DSC (November 1970 - November 1975)
• General Sir Francis Hassett AC CB CBE DSO MVO (November 1975 -February 1976)

[edit] Chief of Defence Force Staff (February 1976 - October 1984)

• General Sir Francis Hassett AC KBE CB DSO MVO (February 1976 - April 1977)
• General Sir Arthur MacDonald KBE CB (April 1977 - April 1979)
• Admiral Sir Anthony Synnot KBE AO (April 1979 - April 1982)
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Neville McNamara KBE AO AFC AE (April 1982 - April 1984)
• General Sir Phillip Bennett KBE AO DSO (April 1984 - October 1984)

[edit] Chief of the Defence Force (from October 1984)

• General Sir Phillip Bennett AC KBE DSO (October 1984 - April 1987)
• General Peter Gration AC OBE (April 1987 - April 1993)
• Admiral Alan Beaumont AC RAN (April 1993 - July 1995)
• General John Baker AC DSM (July 1995 - July 1998)
• Admiral Chris Barrie AC RAN (July 1998 - July 2002)
• General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (July 2002 - July 2005)
• Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AO AFC (July 2005 - present)