I learnt something about the new army chief when she joined our Zoom trivia night
Idea
With wars in Europe and the Middle East and Chinese naval task groups operating closer to Australia, the familiar line that this is the most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War is beginning to become obsolete. We are definitely in a more dangerous period.
This is the backdrop to today’s leadership announcements: Vice Admiral Mark Hammond as the next Chief of the Defense Force, Rear Admiral Matt Buckley as Chief of the Navy and Lieutenant General Susan Coyle as Chief of the Army will lead the ADF through this process. Coyle’s appointment attracts attention. Not just because she was the first woman to lead a service, but because she was the first Joint Capabilities Chief Stepping into this role is to bring experience in cyber, space and the enablers of how the ADF fights.
I met Lieutenant General Coyle for the first time in the Middle East in Al Minhad in January 2020. The USA was applying “maximum pressure” to Iran regarding its nuclear program, a context that is also familiar today. He was commanding Australia’s Middle East headquarters at the time. A few days ago, General Qassem Soleimani was killed by the USA in Iraq. I was assigned to lead the planning. International Maritime Security StructureIt was established to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian attacks on commercial ships.
As I emerged from the chaos, Major General Coyle called out and introduced himself. Hundreds of Australians were passing through that base, but he knew who I was and wanted to talk about the maritime assurance mission I was there to support. He already had deep experience in the Middle East, including as deputy commander of joint task force 636 in Afghanistan, where he was awarded the distinguished service medal. What stood out was his focus on mission, but also the time he spent getting to know his people.
This did not change when COVID hit and rotations were extended. Even though he was operating in a tense region where war was a possibility, he took the time to stay connected. He even joined the Zoom trivia nights I ran to keep my team’s morale up during a difficult time; was the only person who managed to correctly answer my random trivia questions about my hometown, Broken Hill. The balance between mission focus and genuine concern for his people was clear at the time, and that is the reason for his appointment.
Coyle’s appointment has nothing to do with gender. But it is also important that she is the first woman to lead one of Australia’s armed forces. This reflects not only his leadership but also the contribution of those before him.
This extends to women in the Australian Women’s Army Corps and other service equivalents who answered the call in wartime but were discharged when the war ended. This includes women in the Royal Australian Women’s Corps and their equivalents in the navy and air force, who were required to leave after marriage and then become pregnant following the re-establishment of women’s services in the early 1950s. It includes those pushing for deployment and those arguing for access to operational roles, with the expansion of what is possible until all roles in the ADF are opened to women. 2013.
All of these efforts, mostly unnoticed at the time, contributed to this moment. The appointment of Australia’s first female service chief is not just about one person, but the cumulative impact of those constrained by policy, limited by expectations or ignored despite their talents. It is long overdue in many ways.
The Navy became the first agency to deploy women to sea in operational roles in the early 1990s. However, he still has not appointed a female war officer to the rank of two stars, let alone three stars or chief of general staff. In contrast, many three-star female officers were trained in the army.
Lt. Gen. Coyle’s experience as information warfare commander and chief of joint capabilities also shows where the military is heading. As the first service chief to come from the joint capabilities command, he has a clear focus on integration not only across the joint force but with emerging technologies, especially space and cyber. This is likely a deliberate choice to strengthen and accelerate the transformation already underway under Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.
Today is an important moment. At a time when the world is becoming more dangerous, three officers have been appointed to lead the ADF and prepare Australia for what lies ahead. This task will not be easy and they deserve our support.
Jennifer Parker is an adjunct professor at the Defense and Security Institute at the University of Western Australia and a non-resident researcher at the Lowy Institute. He served as a combat officer in the Royal Australian Navy for more than 20 years.
Jennifer Parker is an adjunct professor at the Defense and Security Institute at the University of Western Australia and a non-resident researcher at the Lowy Institute. He served as a combat officer in the Royal Australian Navy for more than 20 years.
