David Morrison

For other people named David Morrison, see David Morrison (disambiguation).

David Lindsay Morrison
File:120718-A-AO884-034 Australian Army Chief Lt. Gen. David Morrison cropped.jpg Morrison orating at Canberra in July 2012
Born	1956 (age 67–68)
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1979–2015
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Chief of Army (2011–15) Commander Forces Command (2008–11) Deputy Chief of Army (2008) Australian Defence College (2006–07) 3rd Brigade (2002–04) 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1997–98)
Battles/wars	Operation Lagoon International Force for East Timor
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Meritorious Service Medal (Singapore) Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
Relations	Major General Alan Morrison (father)

Lieutenant General David Lindsay Morrison AO (born 1956) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He served as Chief of Army from June 2011 until his retirement in May 2015.

Early life and education

Morrison joined the Australian Army in 1979, after completing a Bachelor of Arts at the Australian National University. He graduated from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps.

Career

In 1987 and 1988, Morrison served as the Australian Instructor at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the United Kingdom.

In 1992, Morrison attended the Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliff, and was then appointed as the Brigade Major of the 3rd Brigade, based in Townsville, Queensland. During that time he took part in Operation Lagoon, acting as Chief of Staff for a multinational force that provided security to the peace conference held in Bougainville during 1994. The following year he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

In 1997 he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), holding that position until the end of 1998, when he was posted as the Chief Instructor for the Command, Staff Operations Wing at the Army All Corps Promotion Training Centre in Canungra.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1999 for his services as Brigade Major, Director of Preparedness and Mobilisation and CO of 2 RAR.

Upon promotion to colonel in October 1999, Morrison was appointed as Colonel Operations, Headquarters International Force for East Timor (INTERFET). On his return to Australia, he was posted to the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) as Chief of Staff. He left that position at the end of 2001 to attend the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Canberra, where he graduated in 2002 with a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.

Morrison was promoted to brigadier in November 2002, and commanded the 3rd Brigade from December 2002 until December 2004. He was then appointed as Director-General Preparedness and Plans – Army (DGPP-A) and held that position until his promotion to major general in December 2005.

He was appointed Commander of the Australian Defence College in January 2006, and Head Military Strategic Commitments in April 2007.

Morrison took up the appointment of Deputy Chief of Army in February 2008, replacing Major General John Cantwell. He served in this position until December, when he was appointed Land Commander Australia (LCAUST). Following a re-structure in July 2009, the post of Land Commander Australia was re-designated as Commander Forces Command. Morrison was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours List of 2010 for distinguished service to the Australian Army in the fields of training and education, military strategic commitments and force structure and capability; in particular, as Commander Australian Defence College, Head Military Strategic Commitments and Deputy Chief of Army.

Morrison was promoted to lieutenant general on 23 June 2011, and assumed the post of Chief of Army in a ceremony the following day. On 4 April 2014, it was announced that Morrison's term as Chief of Army had been extended for twelve months, to June 2015.

In 2012, Morrison spoke out against defence budget cuts.

Women in the military

In June 2013, Morrison ordered an investigation into several emails sent from Army accounts over a three-year period that were highly demeaning to women. At a 13 June press conference, Morrison announced that he had suspended three members of the Army, ordered action to consider the suspension of five others, and suggested as many as nine more could face disciplinary action. He described the emails as "explicit, derogatory, demeaning and repugnant," and suggested that the alleged conduct was even worse than the "Skype scandal" of 2011. In a video posted on the Army's official YouTube channel, a visibly irate Morrison described the alleged behaviour as a "direct contravention" of the Army's values. He added that he had been committed ever since becoming Chief of Army to making the Army an inclusive force. "If that does not suit you," he said, "then get out!" He also told anyone not willing to work with women and accept them as equals, "There is no place for you amongst this band of brothers and sisters."

Morrison's aggressive response was widely hailed by Australian and American media, in particular comparing it to the relatively guarded response of the U.S. military to similar accusations.

In June 2014 Morrison formed part of the Australian delegation to the Global Summit To End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London, to which he delivered a speech arguing that armies that separate themselves from civil society, value men over women and celebrate violence "do nothing to distinguish the soldier from the brute".

Honours and awards

	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	26 January 2010
	Member of the Order of Australia (AM)	26 January 1999
	Australian Active Service Medal
	International Force East Timor Medal
	Defence Force Service Medal with 4 Clasps	(35–39 years of service)
	Australian Defence Medal
	Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)	February 2012
	Meritorious Service Medal (Singapore)	19 September 2013
	Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)	July 2014

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie	Chief of Army 2011–2015	Succeeded by Lieutenant General Angus Campbell
Preceded by Himself as Land Commander Australia	Commander Forces Command 2009–2011	Succeeded by Major General Jeffrey Sengelman
Preceded by Major General Mark Kelly	Land Commander Australia 2008–2009	Succeeded by Himself as Commander Forces Command
Preceded by Major General John Cantwell	Deputy Chief of Army 2008	Succeeded by Major General Paul Symon
Preceded by Rear Admiral Mark Bonser	Commander Australian Defence College 2006–2007	Succeeded by Brigadier Brian Dawson (acting)