Military honours for high-performing personnel

AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS – MILITARY

Commendation for Distinguished Service

Colonel Geoffrey Neil COSTELLO

For distinguished performance of duty in warlike operations in Iraq as the Chief of Operations for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Mission – Iraq from May to November 2023.

Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Murray MCGOWAN

For distinguished performance of duty in warlike operations in Iraq as the Deputy Director of Plans for Headquarters Combined Joint Task Force – Operation INHERENT RESOLVE and as the Deputy Commander of the Australian Contingent from August 2022 to March 2023.

Conspicuous Service Cross

Captain Matthew Dean HOFFMAN RAN

For outstanding devotion to duty as Director Undersea and Information Warfare Workforce Development.

Air Commodore Anthony Phillip JONES (Retd)

For outstanding achievement in the Australian Defence Force as Director of the Indonesia Safety and Airworthiness Program.

Principal Chaplain Andrew John LEWIS RAN

For outstanding devotion to duty as the Director General Chaplaincy – Navy.

Group Captain Darrell Robert MAY

For outstanding achievement in space operations in Joint Capabilities Group.

Brigadier Nerolie Irene MCDONALD

For outstanding devotion to duty as Director General Pacific and Timor-Leste.

Wing Commander Lachlan James MELVILLE

For outstanding achievement in leading and managing Australian Defence Force acquisition of Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities.

Wing Commander Jamie Robertson MINOR

For outstanding achievement in Australian Defence Force Air Operations planning for Operations BEECH, CARNELIAN and SOUTHERN DISCOVERY from January 2022 to December 2023.

Captain Antony Dionisio PISANI RAN

For outstanding achievement in the field of Navy Capability.

Commander Matthew Eric RYALL RAN

For outstanding achievement as the Commander Australian Contingent for Operation MANITOU from January 2023 to January 2024.

Leading Seaman Ernesto De Joya SANCHEZ JR

For outstanding achievement in imagery and public affairs over multiple regional presence deployments in HMAS Arunta, Ballarat, Supply, and Toowoomba from 2020 to 2023.

Wing Commander Benjamin David SAWLEY

For outstanding achievement as Commanding Officer Number 1 Flying Training School, Royal Australian Air Force.

Commodore Nigel Justin SMITH RAN

For outstanding achievement as the Director General Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise Task Force and the Director General Manufacturing Development.

Flight Lieutenant Matthew Robert THURLING

For outstanding achievement as the Aeronautical Life Support Mustering Capability Advisor in delivering a transformational change program to create an effective Tri-Service Life Support capability.

Wing Commander Janine Frances TILLOTT

For outstanding achievement implementing Gender in Military Operations reform for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Commander Calvin Lindsey TIMMS RAN

For outstanding achievement as the Commanding Officer HMAS Waller on Operation VIGILANCE from June to September 2023.

Group Captain David Trevor TORRINGTON

For outstanding achievement in the development and execution of C-27J Spartan operations for the Australian Defence Force.

Squadron Leader James Alexander WHEELER

For outstanding achievement in enhancing F-35 survivability and F-35 Mission Data collaboration for the Royal Australian Air Force and F-35 Program nations.

Lieutenant Colonel D

For outstanding achievement as the Commander of Support and Response Team – Europe Rotation 5 over the period July 2023 to January 2024.

Group Captain James William BLAGG

For outstanding achievement in Australian Defence Force air capability sustainment contracting.

Colonel Jacqueline Louise COSTELLO

For outstanding achievement in the health field as Staff Officer Grade One Psychology and the Senior Health Officer within Headquarters Forces Command.

Warrant Officer Phillip John DURNAN CSM

For outstanding devotion to duty as the Command Warrant Officer HMAS Coonawarra.

Lieutenant Colonel Susana FERNANDEZ

For outstanding achievement as Commander Joint Task Unit 629.1.1 during Operation NSW FLOOD ASSIST 2021-1 and Operation FLOOD ASSIST 2022-1 from March 2021 to March 2023.

Commander Nikola Celeste-Marie FORD RAN

For outstanding achievement as the Maritime Logistics Officer in HMAS Adelaide.

Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Michael GROGAN

For outstanding achievement in enhancing Australian Defence Force preparedness planning and governance.

Warrant Officer Stuart Noel HAMMOND

For outstanding devotion to duty in the field of catering services especially in training and policy development.

Brigadier Damian John HILL AM

For outstanding achievement as the Director General Joint Collective Training, Headquarters Joint Operations Command.

CSM and Bar

Warrant Officer Mark Daniel VERHOEVEN CSM

For meritorious achievement in construction engineering and shipbuilding within the Royal Australian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel Program.

Conspicuous Service Medal

Corporal L

For meritorious achievement in the development of Standard Operating Procedures and Training Laboratories in support of the Integrated Battlefield Telecommunications Network Release Three.

Craftsman N

For meritorious achievement in the application of remarkable judgment in non-warlike situations as a Heavy Marine Maintainer within the 2nd Commando Regiment.

Leading Seaman L

For meritorious achievement in the provision of Geospatial-Intelligence support to operational design and review of Australian Defence Force joint operations.

Major Drew Warwick BURKITT

For meritorious achievement as the Detachment Commander Task Unit Chinook during Operation BUSHFIRE ASSIST 2019/20 from January to February 2020.

Warrant Officer Rita Diana COLES

For meritorious achievement as the Senior Air Operations and Air Force Liaison Officer, Defence Cooperation Program, Papua New Guinea.

Major Cameron Steven DUNNE

For meritorious devotion to duty as the 5th Aviation Regiment CH-47F Chinook helicopter Qualified Flying Instructor.

Lieutenant Commander Dean James DVORNICICH

For meritorious achievement as the Marine Engineer Officer HMAS Supply.

Warrant Officer Class One Susan Louise GALLACHER

For meritorious devotion to duty in providing transition support to Army’s people and their families transitioning from Defence as an Army Transition Warrant Officer.

Squadron Leader Luke Daniel GEORGESON

For meritorious achievement in modernising the Royal Australian Air Force Tactical Air Control Party, making significant contributions to evolving Air Force command and control capabilities and enhancing air land integration with the Australian Army.

Flight Sergeant Peter John GREENTREE

For meritorious achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgment and dedication as an Aircraft Technician and Maintenance Executive at Number 36 Squadron.

Warrant Officer Class One Daniel Johnathan HELLER

For meritorious achievement as the Tier A, Aircrew Employment Category Manager of the Army Aviation Training Centre.

Warrant Officer Class One Craig Allan HODGE

For meritorious achievement as Training Warrant Officer and Acting Regimental Sergeant Major of the 12th/40th Battalion, the Royal Tasmania Regiment.

Captain Natasha Pauline KIRKHAM

For meritorious achievement in leadership and strategic engagement while serving as Troop Commander 127th Signal Troop, 1st Signal Regiment.

Petty Officer Mark James LEACH

For meritorious devotion to duty while deployed on operations in HMAS Farncomb.

Leading Seaman Katherine Maree LYON

For meritorious devotion to duty in the field of Fleet Engineering administration.

Warrant Officer Class Two Andrei Andreyevich MAZOURENKO

For meritorious achievement as the senior Direct Fire Support Weapons tactician at the School of Infantry, and as a Company Sergeant Major and Operations Warrant Officer at the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment.

Squadron Leader Ryan John MILSOP

For meritorious achievement as the Australian Liaison Officer at the United Arab Emirates Air Force Air Warfare Centre, located at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

Chief Petty Officer Michael Brendon NOWILL

For meritorious devotion to duty as an Aviation Technician within the Fleet Air Arm.

Chief Petty Officer Matthew Lee OSTROWSKI

For meritorious achievement in support of the Collins Class Submarines.

Warrant Officer Class One Lance Ivan PETERSON

For meritorious achievement as a senior Warrant Officer and Employment Category Manager in the Groundcrew Mission Support trade in the Australian Army.

Wing Commander Brad Anthony SHELDON

For meritorious achievement in the development of the cyber-warfare workforce and the cyber-warfare capability of the Australian Defence Force.

Warrant Officer Class One Shane Robert SMITH

For meritorious achievement to the Australian Defence Force in the development and delivery of a framework for armoured vehicle training.

Corporal Simon Edward TAPPLY

For meritorious achievement in the enhancement of adversary tactics analysis within the Royal Australian Air Force.

Major Katelyn Clare THORNE

For meritorious achievement in streamlining operational reporting, systems administration and governance for the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation on Operation PALADIN from July 2022 to July 2023.

Distinguished Service Medal

Brigadier James Guthrie HUNTER CSC

For distinguished leadership in warlike operations as the Commander Australian Contingent for Operations OKRA and STEADFAST and Combined Joint Task Force – Operation INHERENT RESOLVE Plans Officer from December 2022 to December 2023.

OAM

Group Captain John Sidney PRICE

For meritorious service as an Inquiry Officer and facilitator of the administrative inquiry capability in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Petty Officer Genene Maria SANDERS

For meritorious service to the Royal Australian Navy in the field of hospitality and support services.

Warrant Officer Class One Peter Anthony WALL

For meritorious service as the Command Chief Clerk of Forces Command and as a Standards Warrant Officer (Command Support Clerk) at Army School of Ordnance.

Warrant Officer Class One P

For meritorious performance of duty within Special Operations Command as the Command Chief Clerk and Army People Capability Branch as the Warrant Officer Personnel Policy.

Warrant Officer Gary John ANDERSON

For meritorious service to the Australian Defence Force in joint leadership roles.

Commander Luke Kenneth ANDREWS RAN

For meritorious performance of duty as a Navy Legal Officer.

Commander Sandra Lee-Joy BENNETT RAN

For meritorious service as a legal officer in the Royal Australian Navy in sensitive and strategic legal case management roles.

Lieutenant Commander Scott William CLARKE RAN

For meritorious service to the Royal Australian Navy in the field of Human Resource Management.

Chief Petty Officer Michael John CUNNINGTON

For meritorious performance of duty in the field of Navy Seamanship, Boarding Operations and Gunnery.

Warrant Officer Class One Jo-Anne Michelle DOWNES

For meritorious service to leadership and training as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army Logistic Training Centre, 13th Brigade and the 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion.

Warrant Officer Class One Mark Roy EVERINGHAM

For meritorious service in Regimental Sergeant Major appointments with the 22nd Engineer Regiment, Joint Task Unit 629.2.1 and the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment.

Captain Douglas John GRIFFITHS RAN

For meritorious service to international engagement for the Australian Defence Force.

Commander Simon John KELLY CSM RAN

For meritorious service in the field of Navy Intelligence and Information Warfare.

AM

Major General B

For exceptional service to the Defence Intelligence Enterprise as Director General of Intelligence, Director General Geospatial Capability Integration, and the Head of Intelligence Capability.

Brigadier Matthew Stuart CAMPBELL CSC

For exceptional performance of duty representing Australia as the Army Attaché Jakarta and as the Head of Australian Defence Staff Jakarta, enhancing the Australian Defence Force’s relationship with Indonesia.

Wing Commander Cameron Murray DOUGLAS

For exceptional service delivering advanced integrated air and missile defence capability for the Australian Defence Force and the United States Air Force.

Group Captain Marija JOVANOVICH CSM

For exceptional service to the Royal Australian Air Force in the provision of command and leadership within the Orion AP-3EW maritime patrol capability.

Colonel Martin John LEVEY

For exceptional performance of duty to the Australian Defence Force in the fields of Aviation Safety, Human Factors and Organisational Psychology.

Air Commodore Matthew Robert MCCORMACK

For exceptional service in advancing the F-35A Lightning II air combat capability for the Australian Defence Force.

Colonel Thomas Robson MCDERMOTT DSO CSC

For exceptional service as the Headquarters Joint Operations Command lead planner for the development of an Australian Defence Force operational contingency plan in support of Australia Defence Force Operations.

Air Commodore Michael Joseph REIDY

For exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force in cyber and communications appointments.

Warrant Officer Vanessa Christine SCHNEIDER

For exceptional service as a Warrant Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Commodore Richard Anthony CATON PSM RAN

For exceptional service in senior Defence management and international relationship roles.

Rear Admiral David Peter MANN CSC RAN

For exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force in senior Command and staff roles.

AO

Rear Admiral Jonathan Paul EARLEY CSC RAN

For distinguished service to the Royal Australian Navy in key command and senior leadership positions.