Duncan Lewis
Encyclopedia
Duncan Edward Lewis AO
, DSC
, CSC
(born 1954), is a retired Australian Army
officer and former Commander Special Forces. He is currently the Australian Secretary of Defence
.
in 1975. Following graduation, he was assigned to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps
. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales
and a Graduate Diploma in Defense Studies and Management from Deakin University
. He attended the British Army
Staff College, Camberley
and the U.S. Army War College
.
During his career, Lewis served three tours with the Special Air Service Regiment, later commanding the Regiment between 1990 and 1992, where, for his services, Lewis was decorated with the Conspicuous Service Cross
.
Between 1994 and 1996, Lewis was Army Attache in Jakarta, and during the INTERFET
period he was appointed the Australian Defence Force
spokesman on East Timor
.
Duncan Lewis was promoted to Brigadier
in January 2000 and appointed Commander Sector West UNTAET in East Timor, where he commanded Australian and New Zealand
forces. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
for his accomplishments with the unit.
Lewis assumed his appointment as Commander Special Forces in January 2001, and was later promoted to the rank of Major General
on 19 December 2002. In the Australia Day
Honors list of 2005, Lewis was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
. In December 2008, he began serving as National Security Adviser to the Rudd
Labor Government. On 5 August 2011 it was announced that he would be appointed the secretary of the Department of Defence
, effective as of early September. Lewis is the first former military officer to be appointed to this position.
}}
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System...
, CSC
Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)
The Conspicuous Service Cross is a decoration of the Australian Honours System. The CSC is awarded only for outstanding devotion to duty, or outstanding achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgment or dedication, in non-warlike situations...
(born 1954), is a retired Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officer and former Commander Special Forces. He is currently the Australian Secretary of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
.
Military career
Duncan Lewis graduated from the Royal Military College, DuntroonRoyal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
in 1975. Following graduation, he was assigned to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
The Royal Australian Infantry Corps is the parent corps for all infantry regiments of the Australian Army. It was established on 14 December 1948, with its Royal Corps status being conferred by His Majesty King George VI. At her coronation in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II became Colonel-in-Chief of the...
. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and a Graduate Diploma in Defense Studies and Management from Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
. He attended the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
and the U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
.
During his career, Lewis served three tours with the Special Air Service Regiment, later commanding the Regiment between 1990 and 1992, where, for his services, Lewis was decorated with the Conspicuous Service Cross
Conspicuous Service Cross
Conspicuous Service Cross can refer to:* Conspicuous Service Cross * Conspicuous Service Cross * Conspicuous Service Cross...
.
Between 1994 and 1996, Lewis was Army Attache in Jakarta, and during the INTERFET
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
period he was appointed the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
spokesman on East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
.
Duncan Lewis was promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in January 2000 and appointed Commander Sector West UNTAET in East Timor, where he commanded Australian and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
forces. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System...
for his accomplishments with the unit.
Lewis assumed his appointment as Commander Special Forces in January 2001, and was later promoted to the rank of Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
on 19 December 2002. In the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
Honors list of 2005, Lewis was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Post-military career
Subsequent to his retirement from the Army in 2005, Lewis was appointed to the position of First Assistant Secretary of the National Security Division in the Department of the Prime Minister and CabinetDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is an Australian Government department. The Department was first established in 1911...
. In December 2008, he began serving as National Security Adviser to the Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
Labor Government. On 5 August 2011 it was announced that he would be appointed the secretary of the Department of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
, effective as of early September. Lewis is the first former military officer to be appointed to this position.
External links
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