Major General David Hafner, AM CSC
Major General David Hafner was born on 26 January 1974 in Brisbane, Australia. After finishing his secondary education at Wynnum State High School in Brisbane, he joined the Australian Army in 1991, and was commissioned in 1994 into the Australian Army Aviation Corps.
On completion of pilot training in 1997, Major General Hafner was posted to the 5th Aviation Regiment where he fulfilled a variety of staff and flying appointments. In 2001, he was posted to the Royal Military College of Australia, before returning to the 5th Aviation Regiment in 2004 where he performed the appointment of Regiment Operations Officer, followed by Officer Commanding B Squadron. After posting to Headquarters 16th Aviation Brigade in 2009 as the Staff Officer Grade One Operations, in 2012 he returned to the 5th Aviation Regiment as the Commanding Officer. In 2015 he was promoted to Colonel and appointed as the Commandant of the Land Warfare Centre. In October 2019 he was promoted to Brigadier, and assumed command of the 16th Aviation Brigade, followed by the role of Deputy Commander of Army’s Aviation Command from February 2022. In November 2024, Major General Hafner assumed his current appointment as Commander Army Aviation Command.
Major General Hafner’s overseas operational service has included deployment to East Timor in 1999 during Operations SPITFIRE and STABILISE, as the Aviation Operations Officer on Headquarters INTERFET, for which he was awarded a Commander Australian Theatre Commendation. He also deployed to the Solomon Islands for Operation PLUMBOB in 2000, followed by a further two rotations to East Timor during Operation TANAGER later in 2000 and in 2001, serving as the Black Hawk Troop Commander. In 2005, Major General Hafner participated in Operation PAKISTAN ASSIST, before again deploying to Timor Leste in 2006 during Operation ASTUTE, commanding a composite Black Hawk and Kiowa aviation Squadron, for which he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross. In 2011, Major General Hafner served as the advisor to the Operations Officer of the 205th Corps Afghan National Army during Operation SLIPPER. During 2017, Major General Hafner deployed to Iraq as the Director of Plans for the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command - Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, for which he was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service and the United States Army Meritorious Service Medal. Major General Hafner has also been involved in several domestic relief efforts including Operation LARRY ASSIST in 2006, Operation QUEENSLAND FLOOD ASSIST in 2011, and Operation BUSHFIRE ASSIST in 2019-20.
Major General Hafner is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Royal Military College – Duntroon, the Defence Services Staff College India, and a distinguished graduate of the United States Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with Honours from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. In 2024, Major General Hafner was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for exceptional service in the field of Army Aviation operations and capability management.