LAVARACK WELCOMES NEW BRIGADIER
NORTH Queensland’s most senior Australian Defence Force officer will farewell Townsville in two months to take up a position in the US that oversees operations in the Middle East.
Commander 3rd Brigade Chris Field, who took on Townsville’s top army job in late 2015, is expected to move to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, in November where he will begin as the next United States Central Command’s deputy director of operations in December.
Brig Field will be promoted to the rank of major- general and will follow in the footsteps of another former 3rd Brigade commander, Shane Caughey, who will in turn return to Australia.
“This promotion is very generous of the Army,” Brig Field said. “The job looks after global force management, so moving people and equipment, and current operations and future operations that might be in the next bound of time, and our area of responsibility is the Middle East.
“It’s useful that I know Shane, so that will help with the handover.”
Brig Field acknowledged the large presence of Townsville soldiers deployed to the Middle East in communication, security and mentoring roles and said he was pleased he would still have a connection with them.
“Our soldiers love that opportunity to go and serve,” he said. “It’s why we join and our No. 1 priority other than supporting our wounded, injured and ill, and I know our soldiers relish the privilege of serving wherever that might be.
“It will be nice to be able to contribute to security in that part of the world and to do my part and take on my share of the task.”
Brig Field said he and his wife Sarah would be sorry to leave Townsville.
“We really love Townsville and I love this job,” he said.
“We knew that it was time for us to pass the responsibility of the brigade on to another family and we know they’re looking forward to the challenge.
“It’s still hard to think about leaving because there is so much to be done here first.
“It’s now my responsibility that the brigade is handed over well trained, well rested and well equipped so the next commander can continue our work and allow people to get themselves set for what’s going to be a busy 2018.”
Brig Field’s replacement is Colonel Scott Winter, who is currently a student at the Centre for Defence Strategic Studies.
In 2015, Colonel Winter was made a Member of the Order of Australia ( AM) in the military division for exceptional service through contributions to career manage- ment and to the development and modernisation of the Australian Army as the commanding officer of 1st Armoured Regiment.
“Army’s selection of its commanders is deliberate and across the country they make good selections,” Brig Field said. “3rd Brigade has always been in good hands and Townsville allows the command to be a great pleasure for all of us.”