Head of Corps

Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Transport -

Brigadier Sue Graham

====================================================================================================

Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Transport - 1 August 2018

Brigadier Jason Kyle Walk

Brigadier Walk was born on 23rd December 1970 in Bundaberg, Queensland. After completing his secondary education at Iona College in Brisbane, he entered the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1989 and graduated from the Royal Military College in 1992.

His first appointment was as a Platoon Commander in 30 Terminal Squadron, 10 Terminal Regiment. He has served in a variety of regimental appointments, including Officer Commanding Joint Movement Control Office – Townsville and Officer Commanding Transport Company, 1st Combat Service Support Battalion. He commanded the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion from January 2009 until December 2011.

Brigadier Walk has held a range of staff appointments. These have included G4 Headquarters Forces Command, Military Assistant to the Forces Commander and positions within Headquarters 3rd Brigade and Army Headquarters. Whilst serving within Army Headquarters, he held appointments as the SO1 Logistic Operations and the SO1 Sustainment. These appointments involved extensive exposure to the conduct of Rapid Acquisition of Land Materiel in support of operations, and close interaction with the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group and Joint Logistics Command. During his tenure within Army Headquarters he received a Chief of Army Commendation for his performance in these appointments. Brigadier Walk’s most recent appointment was as the Deputy Director of Essential Function 5 (Sustainment) within the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan. This command was responsible for the development and professionalisation of the Afghan National Security Forces as part of the NATO Mission – Operation Resolute Support.

As part of his studies at the Defence Academy, Brigadier Walk graduated from the University of New South Wales and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in military history. He has completed a Graduate Diploma in Transport and Distribution Management through Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College where he received the Eisenhower Award for military scholarship. He is also a graduate of the United States School of Advanced Military Studies where he completed a Master of Military Arts and Science Degree. This second year of study included conceptual development of Systemic Operational Design as an alternate planning model, providing invaluable experience in campaign planning at the operational level. Most recently, Brigadier Walk has completed a Masters of Business Administration through Deakin University.

Brigadier Walk deployed to Bosnia Herzegovina on Operation Osier in March 1999, where he served as the Staff Officer Grade 3, G4 Operations with Headquarters Multi-National Division - South West. In September 1999 he deployed to East Timor as part of Headquarters 3rd Brigade’s contribution to INTERFET. In 2010 Brigadier Walk deployed on Operation Slipper as the Commanding Officer of Force Support Unit – Three. A career highlight has been the privilege to command on operations. This opportunity also provided excellent insight to the provision of theatre-level logistics in a joint environment.

Brigadier Walk and his wife Karen have two sons. His leisure interests include spending time with his family, soccer, reading and following a variety of sports.

On 1 August 2018, Brigadier Walk was appointed as the Head of Corps of the Royal Australian Corps of Transport

=============================================================================================================

Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Transport 2016

Brigadier Cameron Leigh Purdey CSC -

Brigadier Cameron Purdey was born in Geelong on 10th September 1968. He enlisted in the Australian Army in 1988, graduated from the Royal Military College in 1989 and was allocated to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. He completed a range of postings as a Lieutenant and Captain including 26 Transport Squadron, Northwest Mobile Force, Army School of Transport, Puckapunyal Logistic Battalion and 3rd Brigade Administrative Support Battalion.

In 1999, Brigadier Purdey was posted to 10th Force Support Battalion as the Officer Commanding 30/35 Water Transport and Terminal Squadron. In October 1999 he deployed his Squadron on operational service as part of the 10th Force Support Battalion commitment to INTERFET, with responsibility for port operations at Dili and distribution to INTERFET elements across the theatre. 10th Force Support Battalion was subsequently awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for its efforts in East Timor. This was followed by attendance at the Army Command and Staff College in Canberra during 2001 and appointment at the Directorate of Officer Career Management in 2002-03, as the Career Advisor - Royal Australian Corps of Transport/Australian Army Catering Corps.

Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2004, he was posted to the Land Warfare Development Centre as the Staff Officer Grade One Doctrine. This was followed in 2006 with an appointment as the Staff Officer Grade One Combat Service Support within Force Development Group, Land Warfare Development Centre. Brigadier Purdey was posted as the Commanding Officer 10th Force Support Battalion in January 2007. He was fortunate to deploy to the Middle East as the Commanding Officer of the third rotation of the Force Level Logistic Asset from Aug 2007 - Feb 2008, the joint 150 person contingent providing logistic support to all deployed Australian force elements in the Middle East Area of Operations.

Brigadier Purdey completed a posting as the Staff Officer Grade One Logistic Plans (Domestic/Exercises) at Headquarters Joint Operations Command through 2009, prior to his promotion and appointment as the Colonel Logistics at Headquarters Forces Command in January 2010. This posting provided significant exposure to strategic issues within sustainment, force modernisation and force structure development. In 2013 Brigadier Purdey was posted to the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies as a student. In March 2014 he was promoted and posted as the Director General Land Manoeuvre Systems, Defence Materiel Organisation and in January 2016 took up his current role within Army Headquarters as the Director General Logistics.

Brigadier Purdey holds a Bachelor of Arts (History and Strategic Studies), a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies) and a Masters in Management and Defence Studies. Married to Virginia and with two teenage children, he tries to find time for golf and supporting Geelong Football Club. His interests also include reading, singing and playing the guitar.

Par Oneri - Australian Army Transport Journal

===============================================================================================================================

Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Transport

Brigadier Paul Michael Nothard, AM, CSC -

hoc

Brigadier Paul Nothard graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1988 and was allotted to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. Corps related postings have included Troop Command in the 5th Transport Squadron; Officer Commanding 86th Transport Troop, 26th Transport Squadron; Instructor at Corps Training Wing, Army School of Transport; Australian Exchange Instructor at the United States Army Transportation School, Fort Eustis, Virginia and Officer Commanding 26th Transport Squadron.

He has served in a wide variety of staff appointments including Liaison Officer to the Commander 3rd Military District; S4 Transport and S4 Logistics on Headquarters 3rd Brigade; Staff Officer Grade Two Facilities and Training Areas, Army Headquarters; Senior Officer Manager – Army (SOM-A) at the Directorate of Officer Career Management – Army and Defence Adviser to the Joint Standing Committee for Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade at Parliament House, Canberra.

In 1998 he deployed to Bougainville on Operation Bel Isi. For his service as the Operations Officer of the Peace Monitoring Team – Buin, Brigadier Nothard was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

In January 2006, Brigadier Nothard commenced service as the Commanding Officer of the 1st Combat Service Support Battalion (1 CSSB). From February to August 2007, Brigadier Nothard commanded the Force Level Logistic Asset – Middle East Area of Operations, providing logistic support to all members within the OP CATALYST and OP SLIPPER areas of operation. For his service as the SOM-A, CO 1 CSSB and CO FLLA-MEAO he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

In January 2009, he was promoted to colonel and posted as Colonel Support at Headquarters Land Command, then upon the formation of Headquarters Forces Command on 1 July 2009, he transitioned to the appointment of G4. In 2010, he served as the Director of Officer Career Management – Army and was a course member at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Weston Creek in 2011. Brigadier Nothard was promoted to his current rank and commenced service as the Director General Army Operations, Army Headquarters in January 2012.

Brigadier Nothard has been married to Karen for 20 years and they have a 18 year old son (Jordan) and a 16 year old daughter (Samara). He is a graduate of Australian Command and Staff College (2002) and the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies (2011). He holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies from the University of New England, a Masters of Management from the University of Canberra and a Masters of Strategic Studies from Deakin University. He is a Graduate and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an Executive Director on the Board of the Army Amenities Fund. His interests include spending time with his family and attempting to play a decent round of golf.

On 15 October 2012, Brigadier Nothard was appointed as the Head of Corps of the Royal Australian Corps of Transport.

======================================================================================================================================================

Head of Corps Royal Australian Corps of Transport

Brigadier Andrew Bottrell, CSC and Bar

Copywrite by RACT Admin

Andrew Bottrell was born on 15th August 1967 in Forbes, NSW and completed his schooling at Rostrevor College in Adelaide. He graduated from the Royal Military College in 1987 to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. His regimental service was undertaken within 10th Terminal Regiment, the Army Detachment to the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition, and the Land Warfare Centre, Canungra.

Brigadier Bottrell returned to Australia to assume command of the 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion within the 3rd Brigade. During his tenure he deployed on Op LARRY ASSIST to command the Land Task Group in Innisfail in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Larry. He also deployed to Timor Leste in May 2006 on OP ASTUTE as the Logistics Component Commander for JTF631 under, then, Brigadier Mick Slater.

In 2007 he served as an instructor at the Australian Command and Staff College. Later that year he deployed on Op CATALYST as the SO1 Joint Effects on HQ Multi-National Division (South East) where he was charged with the responsibility for coordinating the transfer of Basra Province to Provincial Iraqi Control.

Upon return to Australia in Jan 2008 Brigadier Bottrell was promoted to Colonel and posted as Director Logistics – Army in Army Headquarters.

In 2010 he attended the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Australian Defence College and was subsequently promoted to Brigadier and posted into his current appointment as Chief of Staff Army Headquarters in January 2011.

Brigadier Bottrell holds a Bachelor of Business, a Master of Business (Integrated Logistics), a Master of Defence Studies, and a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies). He is a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliffe, and the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies.

Brigadier Bottrell was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2003 for his work at Strategic Operations Division and was awarded a Bar to the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2007 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his role as the Logistics Component Commander for Op ASTUTE

========================================================================================

Head of Corps Royal Australian Corps of Transport 2009 -

Brigadier D. T. MULHALL, AM DSC CSC

mulhall-dt

It is with great pride that I assumed the appointment of Head of Corps from Brigadier Saul on 3 April 2009. Brigadier Saul and I have known each other for many years and I have long admired his drive and capacity to get things

========================================================================================================

My association with the Corps started in 1982 when I joined the Army as a driver at 2 Transport Squadron. 27 years on, I remain very proud of our Corps, the people in it and the great work that we do. Our Corps has a hard-earned reputation for maintaining the highest professional standards and for getting on with the job at hand with little fuss. We have always been adaptable and willing to take on new challenges - attributes that position us well to exploit the opportunities of Adaptive Army and the soon to be released Defence White Paper.

My current appointment is that of Chief of Staff Army Headquarters. I am therefore well positioned to have visibility over the major strategic issues confronting Army and our Corps. My desire is to get out and about as much as possible and listen to the ideas and concerns of our people, while also using my position in Army Headquarters to ensure that the Corps is well-informed and focused on addressing the right issues.

I look forward to meeting you, or re-establishing old acquaintances, over the coming months. Please do not hesitate to get in touch and let me know what you think is important to the future and well-being of our Corps. Par Oneri.

David Mulhall

D. T. MULHALL, AM

Brigadier

Head of Corps

9 April 2009