Wade Stothart

Last updated

Wade Stothart
Australian Army Col. Wade Stothart, the incoming commander of Combined Team Uruzgan, delivers remarks during a transfer of authority ceremony Aug. 7, 2013, at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province 130807-O-MD709-098-AU.jpg
Colonel Wade Stothart at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, in 2013
Born1969 (age 54–55) [1]
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branch Australian Army
Years of service1987–present
Rank Major General
CommandsHead People Capability (2021–)
Combined Team Uruzgan (2013)
ANZAC Battle Group (2008)
3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2007–09)
Battles/wars
Awards Distinguished Service Cross
Member of the Order of Australia
Conspicuous Service Cross
Commendation for Distinguished Service
Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Bronze Star Medal (United States)

Major General Wade Bradley Stothart, DSC , AM , CSC (born 1969) is a senior officer in the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1987 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He has commanded the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2007–09), ANZAC Battle Group (2008) and Combined Team Uruzgan (2013), and deployed on operations to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Timor-Leste as part of Operations Tanager and Astute, and to Afghanistan and Kuwait. He was appointed Head People Capability in December 2021.

Contents

Military career

Officer training to Operation Astute

Stothart entered the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) as an Australian Army officer cadet in 1987. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989. Following additional training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon —where he was classmates with fellow future generals Jake Ellwood, Craig Furini and Kathryn Toohey —Stothart was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in December 1990 and posted to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR). [2] [3] [4] His early career consisted of a series of regimental and training appointments. [2] [3]

In September 1997, Stothart deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Operation Osier, Australia's contribution to support British operations under the NATO Stabilisation Force. [2] [5] Serving with Multi-National Division (South-West), Stothart was posted to Vitez and made a liaison officer to the 1st Bosnian Corps. His role was, with the aid of a Royal Marines driver and a local interpreter, to liaise with the Bosnian units in his area and with the corps headquarters in Sarajevo. The deployment included moments of tension between Bosnian Croats and the British and Dutch NATO forces with whom Stothart served. In December 1997, for instance, grenades were thrown into a Dutch logistics base in retaliation for the shooting of a Bosnian Croat indicted for war crimes. The incident led to heighten security arrangements in Vitez and a temporary restriction on Stothart's movements between Bosnian units. [6]

Stothart returned to Australia in March 1998 and was subsequently appointed a company commander in the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). [2] [3] [7] In October 2000, he deployed with the battalion on a six-month rotation under the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, where 1RAR was responsible for providing security to the East Timorese in an area that stretched some 1500 km2. [8] Shortly following his return to Australia in 2001, Stothart was awarded a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Deakin University. He then completed the Australian Command and Staff College in 2002, graduating with the Governor-General's Prize and a Master of Management from the University of Canberra. [2] [3]

Stothart was appointed Staff Officer Policy to the Chief of the Defence Force in 2006 and assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) in December 2007. [2] [3] [9] The following year, he deployed with 3RAR for six months as ANZAC Battle Group – Rotation Four on Operation Astute, part of the International Stabilisation Force in Timor-Leste. [2] [3] Stothart handed over command of the battalion in December 2009, [9] was appointed Military Assistant to the Commander Forces Command in 2010 and, following promotion to colonel, was made Director Officer Career Management – Army in 2011. [2] [3] In the 2013 Australia Day Honours, Stothart was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his "exceptional service" in Timor-Leste, command of 3RAR, and performance with Forces Command and Career Management. [10]

Senior commands: Uruzgan to People Capability

Major General Gus McLachlan (centre) oversees the transfer of command of Combined Team Uruzgan from Colonel Simon Stuart (left) to Colonel Wade Stothart (right) at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt on 7 August 2013. Australian Army Col. Wade Stothart, right, the commander of Combined Team Uruzgan, accepts the unit's flag from Maj. Gen. Gus McLachlan, center, the deputy chief of staff for plans of the International Security 130807-O-MD709-130-AU.jpg
Major General Gus McLachlan (centre) oversees the transfer of command of Combined Team Uruzgan from Colonel Simon Stuart (left) to Colonel Wade Stothart (right) at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt on 7 August 2013.

Stothart was deployed to Afghanistan in July 2013 and assumed command of Combined Team Uruzgan from Colonel Simon Stuart at Multinational Base Tarin Kowt on 7 August. [2] [3] [11] Combined Team Uruzgan consisted of personnel from Australia, Singapore and the United States and was tasked with helping further the independence of the Afghan government, people and security forces in Uruzgan Province. [12] During his tour, Stothart oversaw the withdrawal of coalition forces from Uruzgan and, on 3 December, transferred the responsibility of security for the province to the Afghan National Security Forces. [2] [3] [13] Stothart returned to Australia later that month and, for his "distinguished command and leadership" in Afghanistan, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the 2015 Australia Day Honours. [14]

Stothart completed the Defence and Strategic Studies Course in 2014, graduating with the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Prize and a Master of Politics and Policy through Deakin University. The following March, he was promoted brigadier and posted to Army Headquarters as Director General Career Management – Army. [2] [3] Stothart was credited with making "significant contributions to the reform and improvement of career management and Army's people capability through his exceptional leadership, professionalism and dedication" during his two and a half years in the role, for which he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours. [15]

In December 2017, Stothart deployed to Kuwait as the Director Joint Plans and Assessment (CJ5) in the headquarters of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. He was the senior Australian imbedded in the United States-led headquarters, and oversaw the delivery of strategic and operational plans to deny ISIS a chance of resurgence. [2] [3] [16] He returned to Australia at the end of his twelve-month deployment in December 2018 and was appointed Director General of Army People Capability. [2] [16] For his "distinguished performance of duties" in Kuwait, Stothart was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service in the 2020 Australia Day Honours. [16]

In order to better support the transition of personnel from military to civilian life, the Australian government established the Joint Transition Authority in October 2020 with Stothart as its inaugural director general. For fourteen months, he worked closely with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation to improve the systems that support the transitional phase. [2] [17] [18] In December 2021, Stothart was promoted to major general and succeeded Major General Natasha Fox as Head People Capability, with oversight for the recruitment, retention and transition of personnel and the workforce structure of the Australian Defence Force. [2] [19]

Personal life

Stothart is married to Group Captain Susan Stothart, a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. [1] [2] [20] They have two sons. [2]

Related Research Articles

Military history of Australia during the War in Afghanistan Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan

The Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan has been known as Operation Slipper (2001–2014) and Operation Highroad (2015–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment</span> Australian Army infantry battalion

The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a mechanised infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Kapyong Lines, Townsville as part of the 3rd Brigade. 3 RAR traces its lineage to 1945 and has seen operational service in Japan, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, South Vietnam, Rifle Company Butterworth, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and Iraq.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment</span> Infantry battalion of the Australian Army

1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and since then has been deployed on active service during the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War, Unified Task Force in Somalia, East Timor, Iraq War and Afghanistan. Additionally, the battalion has deployed on peacekeeping and other operations to a number of countries including Japan, Rifle Company Butterworth, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands, Tonga and the Philippines. 1 RAR remains one of the Australian Army's most readily deployed units sending individuals and detachments to domestic, regional and other enduring operations. The battalion is currently based in Coral Lines at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville, Queensland, where it forms part of the 3rd Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment</span> Australian Army infantry battalion

The 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment is a regular infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1965 as part of Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War and it eventually served two tours in Vietnam in 1967 and 1971. In 1973, following Australia's withdrawal from the conflict, the battalion was amalgamated with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment to form the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Gillespie</span> Australian general

Lieutenant General Kenneth James Gillespie is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army. Gillespie served as Vice Chief of the Defence Force from 2005 until 2008, then Chief of Army from 2008 until his retirement in June 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Kelly (Australian general)</span> Australian Army officer (born 1956)

Major General Mark Andrew Kelly, is a former senior officer in the Australian Army. He served as Commander Joint Task Force 633 commanding all Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations and Afghanistan from 12 January 2009 until 14 January 2010, and as Land Commander Australia from July 2005 to December 2008. He was appointed as the Repatriation Commissioner on 1 July 2010 and served in that role until 30 June 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Wilson (general)</span> Senior officer in the Australian Army

Major General Richard Gary Wilson, AO is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He served as Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation from 2009 to 2011, and Chairman of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority in the wake of the 2010–11 Queensland floods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Commando Regiment (Australia)</span> Unit of the Australian Army

The 2nd Commando Regiment is a special forces unit of the Australian Army and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when the 4th Battalion RAR (Commando) was renamed. It is based at Holsworthy, New South Wales. The 2nd Commando Regiment trains and has served with coalition special forces units, and is highly regarded by these units. The regiment has been involved in operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, where it was used in a direct action warfighting role. It has also been involved in domestic security operations including the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2014 G20 Leaders Summit. The regiment is the Command's capability lead for strike and recovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Gilmore</span> Australian general

Major General Peter Warwick "Gus" Gilmore, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. A graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, he was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1983 and spent much of his career in special forces. He commanded the Special Air Service Regiment (2001–02), led the first contingent of the Australian Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan (2001–02), was responsible for the Coalition Advisory Support Team in Iraq (2005–06), and commanded International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces (2009–10). Following promotion to major general he held a succession of senior appointments, including Special Operations Commander Australia (2011–13), Deputy Chief of Army (2013–15), and Commander Forces Command (2015–16). His final appointment was as Head Military Strategic Commitments Division from 2016 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mentoring Task Force One</span> Australian Army task force during the War in Afghanistan

Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1) was a combined arms battle group formed by the Australian Army for deployment as part of Operation Slipper during the War in Afghanistan. Formed in 2009 from the 7th Brigade, the unit consisted of infantry, engineers, cavalry, artillery and logistic elements from 55 different units, but was predominately based on the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Based at Forward Operating Base Ripley outside of Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan Province as part of a multinational brigade known as Combined Team Uruzgan, MTF-1 was tasked with counter-insurgency operations in conjunction with United States, Dutch and other coalition forces, operating from a number of patrol bases in the Mirabad, Baluchi and Chora valleys. MTF-1 served in Afghanistan from January to October 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angus Campbell (general)</span> Australian general

General Angus John Campbell, is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army, who served as the Chief of the Defence Force from 6 July 2018 until 10 July 2024. He was previously posted as Commander Operation Sovereign Borders from September 2013 until he was appointed Chief of Army in May 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Sanders (British Army officer)</span> British Army officer and Chief of the General Staff since 2022

General Sir Patrick Nicholas Yardley Monrad Sanders, is a senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff from 13 June 2022 until 15 June 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Frewen (general)</span> Australian Army officer

Lieutenant General John James Frewen, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Royal Military College, Duntroon and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1986. He has commanded the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2003–04), Combined Task Force 635 (2003), the 1st Brigade (2012–14), Military Strategic Commitments Division (2014–16) and Joint Task Force 633 (2017–18), and deployed on operations to Rwanda, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. He was appointed Principal Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate in March 2018, and Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce in June 2021. He was Chief of Joint Capabilities from September 2021 to July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Noble</span> Major General in the Australian Army

Major General Roger John Noble, is a retired senior Australian Army officer and diplomat. He joined the army via the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1984 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. He commanded the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Al Muthanna Task Group (2005) and the 3rd Brigade (2013–15), and deployed six times on operations to East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq. He was seconded to the United States Army in 2016 and served as Deputy Coalition Land Force Commander, Iraq, as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, and subsequently as Deputy Commanding General – North in the United States Army Pacific (2017–19). He retired from the Australian Army in 2021 and served as Australian Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism from February 2021 to February 2023, before joining Laing O'Rourke as General Manager – Defence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Field (general)</span> Australian general

Major General Christopher Antony Field, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1984 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He has commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2003–05), Combined Joint Task Force 635 (2004–05) and the 3rd Brigade (2015–17), coordinated reconstruction efforts in Queensland in the wake of the 2010–11 Queensland floods and Cyclone Debbie, and deployed on operations to East Timor, Iraq, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. He was Commander Forces Command from June 2019 to February 2020, Deputy Commanding General – Operations for United States Army Central from March 2020 to November 2021, and was Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Force from 2022 until his retirement in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Ellwood</span> Australian Army officer

Major General Justin Frederick Ellwood,, commonly known as Jake Ellwood, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1989 and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. He commanded the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2006–08), Overwatch Battle Group (West) (2007), Battle Group Tiger (2008) and the Combat Training Centre, and deployed on operations to Kosovo, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as Deputy Chief of Army from May to December 2018, and commanded the 1st Division from December 2018 to November 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Coyle</span> Australian army officer (born 1970)

Lieutenant General Susan May Coyle, is a senior officer in the Australian Army. She joined the army as a reservist in 1987 and, following training at the Australian Defence Force Academy, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in 1992. She has commanded the 104th Signal Squadron (2003–04), 17th Signal Regiment (2009–10), Task Group Afghanistan (2015) and the 6th Combat Support Brigade (2017–19), and has deployed on operations to East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. She was appointed Commander Joint Task Force 633, with responsibility for all Australian operations in the Middle East, from January to November 2020. She was the first woman to command the task force, which had oversight for 1,200 personnel under Operation Accordion. Coyle was Head Information Warfare from January 2021 to November 2022, Commander Forces Command from November 2022 to June 2024, and assumed the role of Chief of Joint Capabilities in July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Stuart (general)</span> Australian army general

Lieutenant General Simon Andrew Stuart, is a senior officer of the Australian Army who has served as the Chief of Army since July 2022. He was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1990. He has commanded the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2008–10), Joint Task Force 631 (2010) and Combined Team Uruzgan (2012–13), and deployed to East Timor as part of Operations Warden, Tanager and Astute and to Afghanistan and the Sinai Peninsula. He was Force Commander, Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai from 2017 to 2019, and Head Land Capability from 2020 to 2022. He succeeded Lieutenant General Rick Burr as Chief of Army on 2 July 2022.

Brigadier Ian Douglas Langford, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting. Langford was the Director General Future Land Capability for the Australian Army from 2018 until 2022; and previous to that was the acting head of Land Capability. He served as commanding officer of 2nd Commando, in which role he led combat operations in Timor Leste, Afghanistan, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the South-West Pacific; with command of Special Operations Command in Afghanistan. For his service, Langford was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on three occasions – the only person to date to receive that honour.

References

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 "Stothart, Wade Bradley (Major General, b.1969)". Collection: Private Records. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "About Us: Centre Members and Staff". ADF Financial Services Consumer Centre. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Australian Military Forces Relief Trust Fund (19 August 2019). Australian Military Forces Relief Trust Fund Annual Report 2018–19 (PDF) (Report). Department of Defence. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  4. ↑ McFadzen, Karen (September 2019). "An Eclectic Mob: RMC Class December 1990" (PDF). The Duntroon Society Newsletter. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  5. ↑ Horner & Conner 2014 , pp. 374–377
  6. ↑ Horner & Conner 2014 , pp. 377–378
  7. ↑ Horner & Conner 2014 , p. 378
  8. ↑ "1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment: A Brief History" (PDF). p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  9. 1 2 "3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Commanding Officers". 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Association. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Colonel Wade Bradley Stothart: Member of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  11. ↑ Doran, Mark (29 August 2013). "Transfer of Authority at 'Fort' Tarin Kot". Army News. p. 13. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  12. ↑ Hetherington, Andrew (27 September 2012). "Taking Over the Lead". Army News. p. 17. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  13. ↑ Doran, Mark (13 March 2014). "Darwin Salutes Returned Soldiers". Army News. p. 3. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "Colonel Wade Bradley Stothart: Distinguished Service Cross". It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  15. ↑ "The Queen's Birthday Honours 2018: Distinguished and Conspicuous Awards" (PDF). Office of the Governor-General of Australia. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 "Brigadier Wade Bradley Stothart: Commendation for Distinguished Service". It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  17. ↑ "Better Transition Outcomes for Veterans". Media Releases. Office of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Joseph, Jacob (26 November 2020). "Experience at the Helm". Army News. p. 26. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "Leading the Way". Army News. 13 May 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  20. ↑ "Group Captain Susan Stothart: Conspicuous Service Cross". It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 28 June 2022.

Bibliography

Military offices
Preceded by
Major General Natasha Fox
Head People Capability
2021–present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.