Major General Richard Vagg, DSC
Born and educated in country Queensland, Major General Vagg joined the Army in 1992, graduating from the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1993 to the Royal Australian Artillery. He has enjoyed an exciting career with regimental experience at 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and on exchange with 40 Regiment (AS-90), Royal Artillery. He was also the inaugural Commanding Officer of 16th Air Land Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.
His training experience includes appointments at the School of Artillery and Duntroon, while his staff experience includes appointments at the British Defence Intelligence Staff, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, as well as Modernisation and Strategic Plans – Army. He was MA to Commander Forces Command, the Director of Military Art, Royal Military College – Duntroon and the Director General Systems and Integration – Army. After working as Director General Air and Land Capability Analysis in Contestability Division, Major General Vagg was seconded to the Defence Strategic Review as the lead military Director General. He assumed his current position as Head Land Capability in March of 2023.
Major General Vagg has operational experience in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. His most recent deployment was as Commander Task Group Taji, Rotation Four in Iraq—for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He has also been awarded a Commander Multi-National Brigade (Central) Commendation for his role in several operations along the Kosovo/Macedonian/Albanian border and a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his work as the inaugural Commanding Officer of the Artillery Training Team – Kabul.
He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College, the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and Australian Institute of Company Directors. Major General Vagg holds a Masters of Arts – Management and Strategy from the University of New South Wales and a Masters of Business Administration from Deakin University. Whilst studying at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies he received the Field Marshall Sir Thomas Blamey Award.
Major General Vagg’s work in capability development combined with his regimental, operational and training appointments have provided him with broad exposure to the Defence enterprise. He enjoys the challenges of modernising Defence and setting the conditions to create options for an integrated Joint Force.
Major General Vagg is a keen spectator of most sports, a passionate Queensland Reds supporter, rows to relax, and enjoys watching his children’s sporting events. Richard and his wife Charlotte have one adult daughter and two school aged children. The family enjoys spending time improving their hobby farm.