Brigadier Michael Ashleigh
Commander – Australian Army Cadets

Brigadier Ashleigh was born in Papua New Guinea in 1965. He moved to Australia in 1967 and grew up in Richmond, NSW.

He joined the Army in July 1988, and upon graduation from the Royal Military College Duntroon was allocated to the Royal Australian Corps of Transport. As a Lieutenant and Captain he held a range of regimental and training appointments including a deployment to Irian Jaya as the Staff Officer Grade Three Logistics on Operation AUSINDO JAYA.

On promotion to Major in December 1998 he was appointed the Officer Commanding of the Transport Squadron, 3rd Brigade Administrative Support Battalion. During this appointment he commanded the Battalion Support Group deployed on INTERFET in support of the 3rd Brigade. For his service as the Officer Commanding of the Battalion Support Group, Brigadier Ashleigh was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service. In 2001 he attended the Australian Command and Staff College, and on completion was posted as the Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General (DQ) of the 7th Brigade in Brisbane.

Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in January 2004 he was posted to Strategic Operations Division as the Staff Officer Grade One Joint Logistics Operations. This posting provided Brigadier Ashleigh a wide exposure to the Australian Defence Organisation and other Australian Government and non-government agencies. In this appointment he was involved in strategic aspects, including the planning and staffing, of Australian Defence Force Operations in the Solomon Islands, East Timor and the Middle East Area of Operations and short notice humanitarian operations such as OP SUMATRA ASSIST and OP BALI ASSIST II.

In January 2006 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the 9th Force Support Battalion. During this appointment he was selected to command the first formed body Force Level Logistics Asset to deploy to the Middle East Area of Operations. As the Commanding Officer 9th Force Support Battalion he was also responsible for the relocation of Battalion elements from Puckapunyal, Sydney and Townsville to new facilities at Amberley, Queensland. From 2008 to 2009 Brigadier Ashleigh served as a Directing Staff at the Australian Command and Staff College.

On promotion to Colonel in 2010 he was appointed as Director Logistics – Army where his key responsibilities included serving as the Capability Manager Representative for the sustainment of all in service Land materiel within the domestic and deployed environments, management of Army’s sustainment budget and Army’s lead for three streams of the Strategic Reform Program. In 2012 Brigadier Ashleigh attended the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies. Following this course he remained at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies as the Director of Studies.

He was promoted to Brigadier on 22 April 2014 and appointed as Director General Strategic Logistics and Deputy Commander Joint Logistics Command. He assumed his current appointment as Commander Australian Army Cadets in July 2017.

He is married with three children.

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Colonel Tara Bucknall
Deputy Commander Australian Army Cadets

Colonel Bucknall was born in Victoria in 1970 and was raised in the Northern Territory. She joined the Army on completion of her secondary education and was commissioned as a Royal Australian Survey Corps (RASvy) officer from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in December 1992. Colonel Bucknall became a proud member of RAE on the amalgamation of RASvy in Jul 1996.

Colonel Bucknall served in a number of Regimental appointments at the Army Survey Regiment, 4th Field Survey Squadron and 17th Construction Squadron. She was posted as an instructor at the School of Military Engineering.  In 1999, she deployed as the Executive Officer of 17th Construction Squadron as part of INTERFET. Her Regular Army staff appointments include HQ Northern Command, the Directorate of Officer Career Management-Army and the Land Warfare Development Centre (LWDC).

Colonel Bucknall transferred to the Active Army Reserve in April 2006 and continued to work with LWDC. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel she was posted as SO1 Plans and Deputy Director within the Directorate of Reserve Career Management – Army (DRCM-A) where she was responsible for development of Reserve Career Management policy. This included working with regional Reserve Career Management Agencies in coordination and oversight of career management business practices and procedures. She was awarded a Chief of Army Commendation for work in the implementation of the Graded Officer Pay Scale.

In 2009 Colonel Bucknall had the honour of assuming command of 5th Combat Engineer Regiment. The challenges and rewards of Command make this appointment a career highlight to date. Subsequent to Command, Colonel Bucknall completed staff postings at Headquarters 2nd Division and Headquarters Forces Command. On promotion to Colonel in Jul 2013 she was appointed as the Director of Projects and Standby Reserve Management – Army within Career Management – Army, which is responsible for the legislated engagement and administration of the Australian Army Standby Reserve. This includes the legislated contact as well as unit and career support to Standby Reserve members voluntarily undertaking military service. In Oct 2015 Colonel Bucknall was appointed as the Deputy Commander Australian Army Cadets, the Army’s Youth Development Program. She is responsible the provision of Command and Governance support to the Commander Australian Army Cadets.

Colonel Bucknall has completed a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Engineering Science (University of New South Wales), Masters of Business Administration (University of New England) and is a 2004 graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC).

Colonel Bucknall resides in Canberra.

Colonel (AAC) Richard Morgan
NATIONAL ASSISTANT COMMANDER AUSTRALIAN ARMY CADETS

Colonel (AAC) Morgan was appointed National Assistant Commander in July 2016 and has served continuously as an Officer of Cadets since 1979. He also has experience as a cadet as a member of Cranbrook School Cadet Unit until its disbanding in 1975.

COL(AAC) Morgan has held most positions at ACU level, was OC Newcastle Grammar School Cadet Unit and OC Pittwater House School Cadet Unit. He was the Senior Cadet Officer, later, Regional Assistant Commander NSW AAC Bde from 2007 to 2010. He served for six years in AACHQ including a full-time ACS role in policy development in 2010-11.

COL(AAC) Morgan is an accomplished company director and most recently has worked at senior levels in local government. He has led a diverse professional career as a consultant to higher education in PNG and business and government in East Timor. He was the principal of Pittwater House School in Sydney from 2005 to 2010. Prior to his leadership roles in education he ran community-based museums in Newcastle and Sydney.

His qualifications include a Masters degree in Archaeology from the University of Sydney and he is a Justice of the Peace in NSW. COL(AAC) Morgan was awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal for service to the community in 2003.

COL(AAC) Morgan has a great interest in bands, especially those associated with cadet units because he is a gifted musician performing regularly as a church and concert organist. He is married to Alison, a career public servant and they have two adult children (both former Cadets) and a young grandson.

Warrant Officer Class One One Birralee King
Regimental Sergeant Major Australian Army Cadets

Warrant Officer Class One Birralee King was born in Kew, Victoria in 1969. She enlisted into the Australian Regular Army in 1987 and on completion of recruit training, was assigned to the Royal Australian Ordnance Corps.

On completion of Initial Employment Training Warrant Officer King was posted to the 21st Supply Battalion, where she was promoted to Corporal in 1990. In 1991 she was posted to the Darwin Logistic Company then posted to Bandiana Logistic Group where she was promoted to Sergeant. Subsequently she was posted to Victoria Barracks Melbourne to take up a position on the Standard Defence Supply System helpdesk. During this posting she deployed to East Timor and was attached to 9th Force Support Battalion. She was then posted to the 3rd Combat Support Battalion and she was positioned within the Headquarters 3rd Brigade to assist with the rollout of the Standard Defence Supply System.

Warrant Officer King was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two in 2001 and was posted the Headquarters 11th Brigade for a short period before taking up the Regimental Quartermaster position at the141st Signals Squadron. She spent the following two years at the Headquarters 5th Brigade within the S4 cell. Her next posting, in 2006, was to the 10th Force Support Battalion as the Company Quartermaster, during this posting she deployed with the Force Level Logistic Agency II Baghdad. On return she was promoted to Warrant Officer Class One and took up her position as Regimental Quartermaster 3rd Combat Support Battalion. She then held this position on her next two postings to the 2nd Force Support Battalion and the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment.

In January 2010 she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for service to the 3rd Combat Services Battalion. That same year she received an Australia Day Medallion for services to the 2nd Force Support Battalion. Previous awards received were the Land Commanders and General Officer Commanding Logistic Command Commendations.

In July 2014 Warrant Officer King transitioned to the Army Reserves and in April 2015 she was appointed as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army Cadets Tasmania Battalion.

In January 2019 was appointed as the National Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army Cadets

Warrant Officer King is married to Michael (Warrant Officer Class One Rtd). They have four children and three grandchildren between them. As well as a hobby farm and are operating a short stay accommodation, in Promised Land Tasmania.

National Cadet Under Officer - Australian Army Cadets
NCUO Daniel Irwin

National Cadet Under Officer, Cadet Under Officer Daniel Irwin was born on the 13th of January 2002 in Sydney. He is currently studying year 12 at Barker College and is hoping to join the Australian Defence Force as a General Service Officer through the ADF Academy in 2020.

He joined the Australian Defence Force Cadets in 2015, at 304 Squadron, Australian Air Force Cadets. In 2017 he completed his Junior Non-Commissioned Officer Course and was subsequently appointed as a section commander, and later a platoon sergeant. In July 2017, he completed his Senior Non-Commissioned Officers course, where he became a platoon commander, and his unit’s Training Officer.

In January 2018, he was promoted to the AAFC Equivalent of Cadet Warrant Officer Class 2 and held a number of senior postings at the unit, in 2018 he transferred to the Australian Army Cadets, and in July successfully completed his Cadet Under Officer/Cadet Warrant Officer Course, and qualified as a Cadet Under Officer. He was appointed as the Training Officer and Cadet Adjutant of the Barker College Army Cadet Unit. Since this appointment, he has played a senior role in the planning and execution of large activities and field exercises, and in the implementation and evaluation of Training.

During his time in the Australian Defence Force Cadets, he has served in three different units; having been the drum major of a remote marching band, as well as a member of both Community Based, and School Based Units.

In late 2018, he was selected as National Cadet Under Officer, and assumed the position in January 2019.
Throughout his time as a Cadet, Daniel has been awarded:

• Most Outstanding Second Year Cadet - 2016
• Most Outstanding Third Year Cadet – 2017
• Dux of Training Stage – 2018
• Unit Marksmanship Award – 2017
• Barker College Adventure Training Gold Level Award - 2018

As the National Cadet Under Officer, along with the National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major, Daniel will mainly focus on ensuring the policies and procedures in the Australian Army Cadets embody the vision, values and purpose of the organisation, and in uniting and integrating the NSW 2nd Australian Army Cadet Brigade into the wider organisation.

NCDTWO Ryan Dexter
National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major - Australian Army Cadets

National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major, Cadet Warrant Officer Ryan Dexter was born the 3rd of February 2000 in Warwick, England. He finished Year 12 at St Paul’s School in 2017 and is currently employed at an Auto Repair Company.

He Joined the Australian Army Cadets in 2013 at, St Paul’s Army Cadet Unit. In 2014 he was promoted to Cadet Lance Corporal and appointed a section commander at his unit. In January 2015 Cadet Warrant Officer Dexter was selected to attended the Junior Leaders Course, upon a successful completion, he was promoted to the rank of Cadet Corporal. At the start of 2016 he completed the Senior Leaders Course and was subsequently was promoted to Sergeant and appointed as an acting Company Sergeant Major in his unit.

In December 2016 he was selected to complete the Cadet Under Officer/ Cadet Warrant Officer Course, upon return to his unit Ryan was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two. In 2017 Cadet Warrant Officer Dexter was successfully selected as the South Queensland Brigade Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major and was promoted to Cadet Warrant Officer Class One, he was appointed 14th of December 2017.

During his time in Australian Army Cadets he has been Awarded,

• 3rd in the Daniel Keighran VC Moreton Bay Regional Tri-Service .22 Shooting competition - 2014
• Most Outstanding Second Year Cadet – 2014
• Most Outstanding Third Year Cadet – 2015
• Most Outstanding JNCO – 2015
• Bronze Commendation – 2018

As the National Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major, along with the National Cadet Under Officer, His focus will be in ensuring he provides a voice for all the junior and senior cadets in the Regions to Headquarters Australian Army Cadets, His secondary focus will be supporting the delivery of the cadet training continuum to the regions.