Deputy Force Commander
Major
General Roger A. Powell, AM
DEPUTY FORCE COMMANDER
UNTAET PEACE KEEPING FORCE
Major
General Roger Powell arrived in East Timor on 6 March 2001 and assumed duty as
the Deputy Force Commander of the UNTAET Peacekeeping Force on 8 March 2001.
Major
General Powell is an Armoured Corps officer with extensive command and
regimental experience. He
initially served in A Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment as a
reconnaissance troop leader. He
then served in a range of regimental duties in the 1st Armoured Regiment and
was appointed Adjutant in 1975. In
1981 he commanded a Chieftain tank squadron of the 4th Royal Tank
Regiment for eighteen months with the British Army on the Rhine in West
Germany and then for six months in Southern England.
In 1984 he served for two years as Brigade Major (S3) of an infantry
brigade. Promoted to Lieutenant
Colonel in 1987, he served on the Army Staff, responsible for manpower
planning for a year, before returning to the 1st Armoured Regiment
as Commanding Officer for two years. He
then served as the Chief of Army’s personal staff officer for 18 months
before being promoted to Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer and Director
of Military and Educational Training at the Australian Defence Force’s
Military Academy. Following this
assignment, Major General Powell was promoted to Brigadier to command the 6th
Motorised Brigade in December 1993 for two years.
After working in the joint staff in Defence Headquarters responsible
for Army capability development, he was selected to command of the
multi-national Peace Monitoring Group on the South Pacific Island of
Bougainville in October 1999.
Major
General Powell was promoted to his current rank in April 1999 to command the
Army’s Training Command, responsible for the professional development of all
ranks on Army run courses.
Major
General Powell is a 1971 graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, and
a 1983 graduate of the Command and Staff College at Queenscliff, Australia. He
holds a Bachelor of Arts (History) from University of New South Wales and a
Master of Science (Vocational Psychology) from Florida State University.
He is a graduate from Australia’s Joint Services Staff College (1989)
and the College of Defence and Strategic Studies (1996). On Australia Day 1996
Major General Powell was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in
recognition for his contributions in command and training appointments.
He maintains a professional interest in training and leadership theory
and practice.
Major General Powell and his wife, Rhonda, have two adult children. He is a keen sportsman with a continuing interest in Cricket, Australian Rules Football, Tennis and Squash. His other hobbies include reading, jogging and bush walking.