1 July 2022
Secretary, CDF, fellow Service Chiefs
Defence senior leaders
Generals of the Australian Army
RSM-A WO Kim Felmingham
Aunty Lorraine Hatton, Indigenous Elder of the Australian Army
Soldiers of the Army
Distinguished guests, our families and our friends
May I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we are gathering this morning, the Ngunnawal people.
I pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.
Good afternoon to you all.
It is with a sense of deep humility that I accept command of the Australian Army today.
And to do so, here, in your presence, is incredibly special.
You represent all of our Army. You represent the joint team of which we are integral.
You are our families and communities across Australia, and all who support all that we do and those for whom we exist to serve.
My sincerest thanks to you all for being here, especially on such a day.
And today I commit to serving with you and for all of you.
I am most fortunate to assume command from Lieutenant General Rick Burr, who has led an enormous transformation within our Army with great humility, grace, and intellect.
As our Chief, together with his command team partner RSM-A, WO Grant McFarlane, General Burr leaves our Army better prepared to face the challenges of today and of tomorrow.
He did so among some extraordinary circumstances, be they fires, pandemics, floods, and overseas crises in Kabul, Solomon Islands, and Tonga.
General Burr’s commitment to developing our people and our individual and collective cultural and ethical fitness through Good Soldiering is a hallmark of his stewardship of our Army.
Thank you Rick for your authentic and ethical leadership, your unwavering dedication, your professionalism and your energy during your time as Chief of Army.
On behalf of the Army, and on behalf of Katie and I, I wish to thank Bron for her unwavering support and dedication in all that Rick has achieved, and all that she has done to support him as our Chief of Army.
As the 41st officer to have been afforded the privilege to lead our Army – a fighting and operational force, a national institution and profession – I commit every day to build on General Burr’s rich and worthy legacy.
Receiving the Army banner during this transfer of authority symbolises this continuity and stewardship.
Our Army is in great shape, and our people remain committed, purposeful, professional and team-oriented.
Our Army is full of outstanding people from a diverse array of backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences – you all bring their own uniqueness to our vibrant institution and strengthen our team.
Our success depends on our ability to harness the full potential of our people, to strengthen partnerships, and to embrace technology and modernise our Army.
Our people, our leaders and our culture are our advantage.
I am confident that our Army is ready to meet the demands of the day and make our contribution to the Defence Strategy.
Everyday your Army strives to maintain the trust of those whom we serve and those who serve – we are an Army in the community and an Army for the nation.
Your army strives to be ready to fight and respond tonight, and set the conditions to ensure we can win tomorrow.
Every day we strive to be good stewards of the people, time and resources with which we are entrusted, and
And every day we strive to tell the story of the Army, past, present and future.
We are committed to our values of service, courage, respect, integrity and excellence. And we seek to live them every day.
Together, with RSM-A I am truly honoured to lead the Australian Army – and the next chapter of our shared and proud history of service.
Good Soldiering.