Defence Leaders: Vice Chief of the Defence Force
Lieutenant General David Hurley, AO, DSC
Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF)
Lieutenant General David Hurley was born in Wollongong, NSW in 1953. He graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in December 1975 into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. His initial posting was to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). As a Captain he served as Adjutant, Sydney University Regiment, Regimental Adjutant, The Royal Australian Regiment and as the exchange officer with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards (British Army).
Upon his return to Australia Lieutenant General Hurley served with the 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (5/7 RAR) prior to attending Command and Staff College, Queenscliff in 1986. Following Command and Staff College he was posted as the SO2 (Non-Corps Postings) in the Office of the Military Secretary (MS). In 1989 he served a posting as the Mechanised Infantry Adviser, Australian Army Project Team Malaysia.
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1990 he was posted as the Senior Career Adviser (Armour, Artillery, Engineers and Infantry) in MS. A posting as SO1 (Operations) Headquarters 2nd Division followed in 1991. In November 1991 he assumed command of 1 RAR which he led during Operation SOLACE (Somalia) in 1993. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for this service.
Following his command appointment, Lieutenant General Hurley was posted as SO1 (Operations), Headquarters 1st Division in January 1994. In June 1994 he was promoted to Colonel and posted as Chief of Staff, Headquarters 1st Division. In 1996/97 Lieutenant General Hurley attended the United States Army War College, returning to a posting as Military Secretary to the Chief of Army. In December 1997 he was posted to the Australian Defence Headquarters as the Director of Preparedness and Mobilisation.
In January 1999 he was promoted to Brigadier and assumed command of the 1st Brigade in Darwin. During this period he oversaw the Brigade's transition to a higher degree of operational readiness and its support to Australian led operations in East Timor.
In January 2001 he was appointed the Director General Land Development within Capability Systems in the Office of the Vice Chief of the Defence Force. In July 2001 he was promoted to Major General and appointed Head Capability Systems Division.
In December 2002 he was appointed Land Commander Australia. In December 2003 he was promoted to Lieutenant General to assume the new appointment of Chief of Capability Development Group. On 27 September 2007 he was appointed the Chief of Joint Operations. On 4 July 2008 he took up the appointment of Vice Chief of the Defence Force.
Lieutenant General Hurley holds the academic qualifications of Bachelor of Arts and Graduate Diploma in Defence Studies. He is married to Linda, has three children and a dog named Rugby.