Forces Command (Australia)

Single command for all land functions within the Australian Defence Force

Forces Command

Active| 1 July 2009 – present
Country| Australia
Part of| Australian Army
Garrison/HQ| Victoria Barracks, Sydney
Commanders
Current
commander| Major General Ana Duncan
Chief of the Army| Lieutenant General Simon Stuart

Military unit

Forces Command (FORCOMD) is a command within the Australian Army responsible for the combat brigades, the enabling and training formations reporting to the Chief of the Army with approximately 85% of the Army's personnel.[1][2][3] The Command was formed on 1 July 2009 with the amalgamation of Land Command and Training Command,[4] and is led by a major general as the Commander Forces Command (COMD FORCOMD).

## History

[edit]

On 27 September 2008 the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, announced a restructure of the army command structure named Adaptive Army.[5] The structure had remained nearly the same since the Hassett Review restructure in 1973 of Land Command and Training Command.[6]

In October 2022, the 9th Brigade was placed under the command of Forces Command.[7] In July 2023, the 1st, 3rd and 7th Brigades were placed under the command of the 1st (Australian) Division.[8] The Combat Training Centre and 39th Operational Support Battalion were placed under the command of Forces Command.[8]

In June 30, 2024, the 8th Brigade was placed under the command of Forces Command.[9] The 17th Sustainment Brigade was transferred from Forces Command to the 1st Division on 15 November 2024.[10] The 6th Brigade was disbanded on 13 December 2024, with its units being transferred to other headquarters.[11][12]

## Organisation

[edit]

Main article: Structure of the Australian Army

Forces Command organization 2025

* Headquarters, Forces Command (Victoria Barracks, New South Wales)
* 2nd Health Brigade
* 8th Brigade[13]
* 39th Operational Support Battalion (Randwick Barracks, NSW)[8]
* Royal Military College of Australia (Duntroon Garrison, ACT)[14]
* Army Logistic Training Centre (Bandiana, Vic)
* Defence Command Support Training Centre
* Combat Training Centre[8]
* Combined Arms Training Centre (Puckapunyal, Vic)

## Commander Forces Command

[edit]

The following have held the position of Commander Forces Command or its preceding positions, with the ranks and honours as at the completion of their tenure:

Rank | Name | Post-nominals | Term began | Term ended

|
|
|
|

Field Force Command
Major General | Kenneth Mackay | CB, MBE | 1973 | 1974[15]
Major General | Donald Dunstan | CB, CBE | 1974 | 1977
Major General | Mark Bradbury | AO, CBE | 1977 | 1979
Major General | John Williamson | AO, OBE | 1979 | 1980
Major General | Ron Grey | AO, DSO | 1980 | 1983
Major General | John Kelly | AO, DSO | 1983 | 1984
Major General | Lawrence O'Donnell | AO | 1985 | 1986
Land Commander Australia
Major General | Lawrence O'Donnell | AO | 1986 | 1987
Major General | Neville Smethurst | AO, MBE | 1987 | 1990
Major General | Murray Blake | AO, MC | 1990 | 1994
Major General | Peter Arnison | AO | 1994 | 1996
Major General | Frank Hickling | AO, CSC | 1996 | 1998
Major General | John Hartley | AO | 1998 | 2000
Major General | Peter Cosgrove | AC, MC | March 2000 | July 2000
Major General | Peter Abigail | AO | July 2000 | December 2002
Major General | David Hurley | AO, DSC | December 2002 | December 2003
Major General | Ken Gillespie | AO, DSC, CSM | January 2004 | July 2005
Major General | Mark Kelly | AO | July 2005 | December 2008
Major General | David Morrison | AM | December 2008 | July 2009
Commander Forces Command
Major General | David Morrison | AO | July 2009 | June 2011
Major General | Jeffrey Sengelman | DSC, AM, CSC | June 2011 | November 2011
Major General | Michael Slater | AO, DSC, CSC | November 2011 | 23 January 2015
Major General | Gus Gilmore | AO, DSC | 23 January 2015 | December 2016
Major General | Gus McLachlan | AO | December 2016 | December 2018
Major General | Greg Bilton | AM, CSC | December 2018 | June 2019
Major General | Chris Field | AM, CSC | June 2019 | February 2020
Major General | Matt Pearse | AM | February 2020 | November 2022
Major General | Susan Coyle | AM, CSC, DSM | November 2022 | 30 June 2024
Brigadier | Nathan Juchniewicz
(Acting) | DSC & Bar, CSC | 30 June 2024 | January 2025
Major General | Ana Duncan | AM, CSC | January 2025 | Incumbent

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Australian Army – Modernisation from Beersheba and Beyond" (PDF). Australian Army. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
2. ^ "Forces Command". Australian Army. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
3. ^ "The Australian Army: An Aide-Memoire" (PDF). Australian Army. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
4. ^ "May the force be with you – Merge of commands enhances capabilities" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1216 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 9 July 2009. p. 2\. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
5. ^ "Command restructure" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1197 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 4 September 2008. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
6. ^ Gillespie, Lieutenant General K.J. (26 August 2008). Adaptive Army: Public information paper (PDF). Canberra: Australian Army. OCLC 682906519. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2011.
7. ^ "9th Brigade becomes the Australian Army's first integrated combat brigade". Department of Defence (Press release). 27 October 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
8. ^ a b c d "Commands, divisions adjusted". Army: The soldiers' newspaper (1539 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 20 July 2023. p. 2\. ISSN 2209-2218. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
9. ^ Grant, Matt (5 July 2024). "A unified approach to training".
10. ^ "Big changes for 17th Sustainment Brigade". Department of Defence. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
11. ^ "Historic brigade lowers its colours". Department of Defence. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
12. ^ "Commemorating 6th Brigade". Department of Defence. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
13. ^ Grant, Matt (5 July 2024). "A unified approach to training".
14. ^ "Royal Military College of Australia". Australian Army. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
15. ^ Gillespie, Ken (2004). "Major General Kenneth Mackay, CB, MBE (1917–2004)". Australian Army Journal. 2 (1): 247–249.

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