Jim Molan

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Jim Molan
Allegiance Flag of Australia Australia
Service/branch Australian Army
Years of service 1968 -
Rank Major General
Commands held Australian Defence College
1st Division
1st Brigade
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Battles/wars East Timor

Iraq War
Awards Officer of the Order of Australia
Distinguished Service Cross

Major General Andrew James (Jim) Molan AO, DSC is currently Adviser to the Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia) on Joint Warfighting Lessons and Concepts.

Contents

[edit] Education

"Jim" Molan joined the Australian Army following completion of his schooling in Victoria. On graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1971 he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Queensland. He is a graduate of the ADF School of Languages where he studied Indonesian. He maintains an interest in aviation and holds civil commercial licences and instrument ratings for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and is accredited as a Master Project Director (MPD).

[edit] Career

Molan has a long and active military career. Regimental postings include:

  • First Battalion, Pacific Island Regiment (Papua New Guinea) as a rifle platoon commander;
  • Ninth Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, as Adjutant;
  • Rifle company second-in-command and rifle company commander in the Third Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment;
  • Commanding Officer of the Sixth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment[1];
  • Commander of the Army’s mechanized First Brigade
  • Commander of the 1st Division and its Deployable Joint Force Headquarters.

Molan was the Commander of the Australian Defence College, including

  • the Australian Defence Force Academy (a joint undergraduate university),
  • the Australian Command and Staff College (a joint staff college for officers of Major equivalent rank) and
  • the Australian Defence and Strategic Studies Centre (a course for civilians and officers of Colonel equivalent rank).

In April 2004, Major General Molan deployed for a year to Iraq as the Chief of Operations, Headquarters Multinational Force – Iraq during continuous and intense combat operations. For distinguished command and leadership in this period, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the Australian Government[2] and the Legion of Merit by the United States Government.

He also served as the Army Attache in Jakarta as a Colonel between 1992 and 1994 and for this service he was awarded the Indonesian decoration Bintang Dharma Yudha Nararya in 1995. Between 1998 and 1999 Major General Molan was the Defence Attache in Jakarta as a Brigadier and served in East Timor. On the 25th March 2000 he was upgraded to Officer of the Order of Australia for his service in Indonesia and in East Timor.[3]

[edit] Personal

Molan is married with three daughters and a son. His wife's name is Anne. His preferred name is Jim.[4]

[edit] Honours and awards

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) (2000)[3]
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) (1992)[1]
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) (awarded 2006)[2]
Australian Active Service Medal with "EAST TIMOR" and "IRAQ 2003" clasps
Iraq Medal
Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 with "PNG" clasp
Defence Force Service Medal with Federation Star (5th clasp)
Australian Defence Medal
Papua New Guinea Independence Medal (PNG)
Order of the Star of Yudha Dharma 3rd Class (Indonesia) (Bintang Yudha Dharma Nararya) (1995)
Legion of Merit (United States) Officer (2004)

[edit] References and notes

  1. ^ a b It's an Honour - Member of the Order of Australia - 26 January 1992
    Citation: For service to the Australian Army as Commanding Officer 6th Battalion, RAR.
  2. ^ a b It's an Honour - Distinguished Service Cross (Australian) - 26 January 2006
    Citation: For distinguished service in command and leadership in action while serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff Civil Military Operations with Multi-National Force - Iraq from April 2004 to April 2005, during Operation CATALYST.
  3. ^ a b It's an Honour - Officer of the Order of Australia - 25 March 2000
    Citation: For distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force as the Head of the Australian Defence Staff in Jakarta during the Indonesian and East Timor crisis.
  4. ^ ADF biography

[edit] External links

Military offices
Preceded by
'		 Commander 1st Division Succeeded by
'
Preceded by
RADM Raydon Gates CSM, RAN		 Commander Australian Defence College
2002-2004		 Succeeded by
RADM Mark Bonser AO, CSC, RAN