Biography

Matthew is the Deputy Director Capability Reporting and Analysis at Headquarters Air Command.
Matthew joined the RAAF in ’90 as an Officer Cadet at the Defence Academy. He graduated in Dec ’92 with a BSc (Maths and Physics) and proceeded to flying training at 2 Flying Training School. After 6 months he returned to Canberra and transferred to Ground Defence, graduating from the Royal Military College in Dec ’95.
As a junior officer he had postings to 2 Airfield Defence Squadron as a Rifle Flight Commander (’96-7) and Executive Officer (’02-3), No 303 Air Base Wing as Base Ground Defence Officer (’98) and the Army’s School of Military Engineering in charge of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (’99-’02). He deployed to Cambodia (’97) and the Middle East (’03 and ’20) and was awarded a Chief of Air Force Commendation for his performance as the Ground Defence Commander in Cambodia.
On promotion to SQNLDR in ’04, he was posted to HQ Air Command as Plans – Force Protection (’04-6), deploying to Africa (’04) and Cyprus (’06). He posted to Command and Staff College (Canberra) in ’07. He was selected to establish the Operations Officer (OPSO) Specialisation. He worked in the Air Operations Centre in ’08 and moved across to Pers Branch in ’09 to establish the OPSO Specialisation through the DFRT. In ’10 he implement the Officer Distance Learning element of the Professional Military Education and Training scheme for Air Force. At the conclusion of ’10 he completed the (Interim) OPSO Basic Course and transferred to OPSO.
In 2011 he was promoted (temporarily) to WGCDR and posted to HQJOC as a Watch Commander and then Dep Dir Current Operations (’12-3) and was awarded a Chief of Joint Operations Group Commendation. He was promoted substantively to WGCDR in ’12. In ’14 he became Dep Dir Future Concepts where he was involved in writing Plan Jericho and supporting the Force Structure Review. He was selected for and commanded No. 27 (City of Townsville) Squadron and was Senior ADF Officer RAAF Townsville (’15-’16). Prior to his current role he was responsible for the evaluation of Air Force exercises and operations at Headquarters Air Command and deployed to the Middle East for 6 months as the Air Operations and Plans Officer for Joint Task Force 633.