Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Christopher Antony Field, is a retired senior officer of the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
. He joined the army via the
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and Royal Aus ...
in 1984 and was
commissioned into the
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
The Royal Australian Infantry Corps (RA Inf) is the parent corps for all infantry regiments of the Australian Army. It was established on 14 December 1948, with its Royal Corps status being conferred by His Majesty King George VI. At her corona ...
. He has commanded the
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and since ...
(2003–05),
Combined Joint Task Force 635 (2004–05) and the
3rd Brigade (2015–17), coordinated reconstruction efforts in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
in the wake of the
2010–11 Queensland floods
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
and
Cyclone Debbie
Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Queensland since Cyclone Marcia, Marcia in 2014–15 Australian region cyclone season, 2015, and was the costliest tropical cyclone in Australia since Cyclone ...
, and deployed on operations to East Timor, Iraq, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. He was
Commander Forces Command from June 2019 to February 2020, Deputy Commanding General – Operations for
United States Army Central
The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf W ...
from March 2020 to November 2021, and was Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Force from 2022 until his retirement in 2023.
Military career
Field entered the
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and Royal Aus ...
as an
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
officer cadet
Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air ...
in 1984. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree and, following additional training at the
Royal Military College, Duntroon
lit: Learning promotes strength
, established =
, type = Military college
, chancellor =
, head_label = Commandant
, head = Brigadier Ana Duncan
, principal =
, city = Campbell
, state = ...
, was
commissioned into the
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
The Royal Australian Infantry Corps (RA Inf) is the parent corps for all infantry regiments of the Australian Army. It was established on 14 December 1948, with its Royal Corps status being conferred by His Majesty King George VI. At her corona ...
. During his early career, Field served as a rifle platoon commander and mortar line officer in the
2nd/4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (2/4 RAR) was an Australian Army infantry battalion. 2/4 RAR was formed on 15 August 1973 by linking 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. 2/4 RAR wa ...
, deployed for service with the
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Established amidst the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, its primary task was initially to provide the military com ...
in 1996–97, was
adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
of an
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen ...
unit, served as an instructor at Duntroon, and commanded companies in the
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR) is an amphibious light infantry battalion of the Australian Army part of the 1st Division Amphibious Task Group based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.
2 RAR was initially formed as the A ...
(2RAR).
He was operations officer when 2RAR deployed as part of the
International Force East Timor
The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took ...
in September 1999. For his "distinguished performance of duties" during the operation, Field was awarded a
Commendation for Distinguished Service
The Commendation for Distinguished Service is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it is awarded for the distinguished performance of duties in warlike operations. The Commendation for Distinguished Service w ...
in March 2000.
As a lieutenant colonel, Field was seconded to the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
in 2002 and was an operational planner in the
Third Army during the early stages of the United States'
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
and Australia's
Operation Falconer
Falconer may refer to:
* A person skilled in the art of falconry
People
* Falconer (surname), a family name
* Falconer Larkworthy (1833–1928), New Zealand banker and financier
* Falconer Madan (1851—1935), librarian of the Bodleian Librar ...
during the
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
.
For his "outstanding achievement in strategic analysis and operational planning" in this role, Field was awarded the
Conspicuous Service Cross in November 2003 and the United States
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
in March 2005.
Field was appointed commanding officer of the
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR) is a regular motorised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. 1 RAR was first formed as the 65th Australian Infantry Battalion of the 34th Brigade (Australia) on Balikpapan in 1945 and since ...
(1RAR) from December 2003. In December 2004, Field led a deployment of his battalion's A Company to the Solomon Islands and assumed command of Combined Joint Task Force 635. The Australian government had recently drawn back its military commitment to the
Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), also known as Operation Helpem Fren, Operation Anode and Operation Rata (by New Zealand), was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor-General of ...
(RAMSI). After
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the national and principal federal law enforcement agency of the Australian Government with the unique role of investigating crime and protecting the national security of the Commonwealth of Australia. Th ...
officer Adam Dunning was ambushed and killed while conducting a patrol on 22 December, however, the Australian government committed Field and his soldiers to reinforce RAMSI and enhance security in the region.
![Brig](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Brig._Gen._Field_visits_504th_Battlefield_Surveillance_Brigade_soldiers_111019-A-BD324-044.jpg)
On relinquishing command of 1RAR in December 2005, Field was appointed J3 Operations to the
1st Division and Deployable Joint Force Headquarters. He then served as Director Future Land Warfare and Strategy at Australian Army headquarters and, in January 2011, was appointed Chief of Operations and Plans, Queensland Reconstruction Authority to assist in the recovery and reconstruction efforts in the wake of the
2010–11 Queensland floods
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
. Later that year, Field was promoted to
brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
and was again seconded to the United States Army. He served as Deputy Commanding General – Force Development in the
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
during an operational deployment to
Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a List of cities in Afghanistan, city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population ...
, Afghanistan, for which he was awarded the
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is manufactured by Eekelers-Centini Intl, of Hemiksem, Belgium.
Ba ...
.
He returned to Australia in 2012 as chief of staff in
Forces Command and was appointed Regimental Colonel of the
Royal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a t ...
and Head of Corps of the Royal Australian Infantry.
Field's "exceptional service" in these postings was recognised with his appointment as a
Member of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
in the
2016 Queen's Birthday Honours.
In 2015, Field was appointed commander of the
3rd Brigade in
Townsville
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...
, Queensland. He additionally assumed the role of Queensland State Recovery Coordinator, overseeing the efforts to recover and rebuilt Queensland communities following the severe tropical
Cyclone Debbie
Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Queensland since Cyclone Marcia, Marcia in 2014–15 Australian region cyclone season, 2015, and was the costliest tropical cyclone in Australia since Cyclone ...
, in March 2017.
Field handed over command of the 3rd Brigade to Brigadier Scott Winter in November that year and, promoted to
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
, was posted to the United States as Vice Director of Operations and Plans in
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
. During the eighteen-month posting, Field oversaw United States and coalition operations in the Middle East. He returned to Australia and succeeded Major General
Greg Bilton
Lieutenant General Gregory Charles Bilton, (born 2 March 1965) is a senior officer in the Australian Army. He was seconded to the United States Army Pacific as Deputy Commanding General – Operations from 2014 to 2017, served as Deputy Chief ...
as
Commander Forces Command in June 2019.
As Commander Forces Command, Field mobilised approximately 6,000 personnel as part of Operation Bushfire Assist, the Australian Army's response to the
severe bushfires that burnt throughout southeast Australia over summer 2019–2020.
Field handed over leadership of Forces Command to Major General
Matt Pearse in February 2020 and, in March, was posted to the United States as Deputy Commanding General – Operations for
United States Army Central
The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army which saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf W ...
.
In this role, Field deployed to United States Army Central's forward headquarters in Kuwait in October 2020, where he was involved in supporting Operations
Inherent Resolve
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...
,
Freedom's Sentinel and
Spartan Shield, as well as the
Multinational Force and Observers
The Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) is an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. The MFO generally operates in and around the Sinai peninsula, ensuring free navigation through ...
.
In recognition of his "exceptional leadership, professionalism and uncompromising commitment",
showing "distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations" in the Middle East, Field was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
in the
2022 Australia Day Honours
The 2022 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2022 by the Governor General of Australia, David Hurley.
The Australia ...
.
Following his return to Australia, Field was appointed Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Force.
Field is a graduate of the
University of Southern Queensland
The University of Southern Queensland (branded as UniSQ and formerly branded as USQ) is a medium-sized, regional university based in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, with three university campuses at Toowoomba, Springfield and Ipswich. It offe ...
, the
Marine Corps University
Marine Corps University is a professional military education university system of the United States Marine Corps. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Master's Degrees.
H ...
,
Deakin University
Deakin University is a public university in Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1974, the university was named after Alfred Deakin, the second Prime Minister of Australia.
Its main campuses are in Melbourne's Burwood suburb, Geelong Waurn Ponds, ...
, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Personal life
Field is married to Sarah Kendall, with whom he has one son. He is a former director of
Ronald McDonald House
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children.
RMHC has a global network of c ...
in
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland. Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has been ...
, a previous member of the Townsville District Community Policing Board and the Regional Managers’ Coordination Network, Townsville, and is Patron and past-President of the Australian Services Rugby Referees Association.
Footnotes
Bibliography
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Chris (general)
Australian generals
Australian military personnel of the International Force for East Timor
Australian military personnel of the Iraq War
Australian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Deakin University alumni
Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit
Graduates of the Australian Defence Force Academy
Living people
Marine Corps University alumni
Members of the Order of Australia
Recipients of the Commendation for Distinguished Service
Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
Recipients of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal
Royal Military College, Duntroon graduates
University of New South Wales alumni
University of Southern Queensland alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)