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...

 Michael David (Mick) Slater 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...

, AM

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"...

, 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...

 is a senior officer in the 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...

.

Early life

Mick Slater was born in Brisbane, Queensland, and educated at St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace. He later worked and studied his way through the Queensland University of Technology

Queensland University of Technology

Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...

, joining the Australian Army in 1978, attending the Officer Cadet School, Portsea.

Service history

Slater has commanded at all levels from platoon to brigade level.

His operational commands have included the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular light infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 2 RAR was first formed as the Australian 66th Battalion in 1945 and since then it has seen active service during the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and Vietnam War...

, and the 3rd Brigade on operations in 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...

, during International Force for East Timor (INTERFET). Slater 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 distinguished command and leadership while commander of 2RAR on Operation Warden, in East Timor. Also he served as an operations staff officer in the United States 3rd Army Headquarters in Kuwait

Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...

 on Operation Pollard.

He has undertaken formal education in mobilisation planning in the United States of America, and is a graduate of the Army Command and Staff College Fort Queenscliff

Fort Queenscliff

Fort Queenscliff, in Victoria, Australia, dates from 1860 when an open battery was constructed on Shortland's Bluff to defend the entrance to Port Phillip. The Fort, which underwent major redevelopment in the late 1870s and 1880s, became the headquarters for an extensive chain of forts around Port...

, the Joint Services Command and Staff College

Joint Services Command and Staff College

Joint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.-History:JSCSC combined the single...

, 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...

. Slater holds Masters’ Degrees in Strategic Studies and Business Administration.

Slater is currently serving as Commander Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, having previously held the position of Head Personnel Executive.

In January 2011, Slater was appointed to lead the Flood Recovery Taskforce overseeing recovery from the 2010–2011 Queensland floods

2010–2011 Queensland floods

A series of floods hit Australia, beginning in December 2010, primarily in the state of Queensland including its capital city, Brisbane. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least seventy towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was...

. This taskforce subsequently transitioned into the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, where Slater remained until the 31st August 2011, formally handing over to former Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation

Defence Intelligence Organisation

The Defence Intelligence Organisation is an Australian government intelligence agency responsible for assessing intelligence obtained from or provided by other Australian and foreign intelligence agencies, supporting Defence and Government decision-making and the planning and conduct of Australian...

 Major General Richard Wilson.

Personal

Mick Slater is married to Danielle and has three adult children from a previous marriage. He appeared on the Chaser's War On Everything because of his smart remarks to a newsreader.

Honours and awards

	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...  (DSC)	Awarded for Operation Warden
	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	Awarded for Operations Larry Assist and Astute
	Conspicuous Service Cross 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...  (CSC)	Australia Day Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...  Honours List 1998
	Australian Active Service Medal Australian Active Service Medal The Australian Active Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations...	With "EAST TIMOR" clasp
	International Force East Timor Medal International Force East Timor Medal The International Force East Timor Medal recognises members of the Australian Defence Force who served for 30 days in East Timor during the INTERFET campaign...
	Australian Service Medal Australian Service Medal The Australian Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorized 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. It is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards of the medal are made in the form of...	With "IRAQ" & "TIMOR-LESTE" clasps
	Defence Force Service Medal Defence Force Service Medal The Defence Force Service Medal is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force...  with 3 clasps	30–34 years service
	Australian Defence Medal Australian Defence Medal The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service...