Forces Command (Australia)

Forces Command
Active1 July 2009 – present
CountryAustralia
TypeAustralian Army
Part ofChief of Army
Garrison/HQVictoria Barracks, Sydney
Commanders
Current
commander		Brigadier Nathan Juchniewicz
(Acting)
Chief of the ArmyLieutenant General Simon Stuart

Forces Command (FORCOMD) is the largest 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

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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

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Main article: Structure of the Australian Army
Forces Command organization 2023

Commander Forces Command

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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 Incumbent

References

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  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. ^ a b "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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