Keith Brackenbury joined the Airforce in 1977, graduating from No. 53 Navigator course in July 1978. During his next 6 years on P3B and P3C aircraft with 11 SQN and 10 SQN at RAAF Base Edinburgh, he participated in over 20 operational deployments. In 1985 he was posted to 292SQN to conduct operational test flying and instructional duties. On promotion to Squadron Leader he was posted to Maritime HQ in Sydney, where he led a small joint exercise planning staff. Between 1991 and 1993 SQNLDR Brackenbury undertook an assignment in Singapore as the Assistant Defence Adviser, where he was awarded a commendation for his service. On return to Australia, SQNLDR Brackenbury was appointed as Commanding Officer No. 27 (City of Townsville) SQN and Regional Liaison Officer to the North Queensland Air Training Corps. During this time 27SQN was adjudged the most proficient Reserve Squadron. Promoted off RAAF Command and Staff Course in 1996, WGCDR Brackenbury completed two postings in Canberra as Deputy Director Strategic Personnel Planning and Acting Director Personnel Research. WGCDR Brackenbury was then posted in December 1999 as Base Commander Edinburgh. On promotion, GPCAPT Brackenbury assumed the position of Commandant RAAF College in June 2002. GPCAPT Brackenbury was posted to the position of Chief of Staff Headquarters Air Force Training Group with from December 2004 to January 2007. In January 2007, GPCAPT Brackenbury took up his current position as Director Doctrine and Training at the ADF Warfare Centre. GPCAPT Brackenbury was appointed as honorary ADC to the Governor-General in December 1999 and continues to serve in this role.

GPCAPT Brackenbury is married to Linda, a South Australian, who works full-time as a Systems Analyst. He has two sons and a daughter. His main interests involve sport, either as a participant, spectator, coach or administrator.

Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Pickering graduated from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea as a Second Lieutenant in 1982. His initial appointment was as a Platoon Commander in the 1st Battalion of the Fiji Infantry Regiment in Lebanon (1FIR, UNIFIL) from July 1982 to July 1983. He further served with the Battalion as Battalion Adjutant from July 1985 to August 1986 and as Company Commander from June 1989 to June 1990. He also served with the 2nd Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment, Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai (2FIR, MFO) as Adjutant from March 1987 to July 1987, Company Commander from August 1987 to March 1988 and as Commanding Officer of the Battalion from May 2002 to May 2003. He also served as Battalion Second-n-Command and Operations Officer of the 3rd Battalion from 1991 to 1992. In April 1993, he was appointed Contingent Commander of the Fiji Military Forces’ Contingent in Iraq-Kuwait. He also served as a staff officer Grade One in the Headquarters Land Force Command of the Fiji Military Forces (FMF).

His training appointments include postings as Company Commander, Second-in-Command and an instructor at the Force Training Group of the FMF. As the Fiji Exchange Officer from January 1999 to December 2000, he instructed on the Intermediate Staff Course at the Command, Staff and Operations (CS&O) Wing in Canungra. On enlistment into the Australian Defence Force (ADF) - Army in January 2004, he was posted as an instructor on the Grade Two Course, CS&O Wing until December 2005. He then served as an instructor on the Joint Operations Planning Course at the ADF Warfare Centre, Williamtown from January to May 2006. He was promoted Lieutenant Colonel and posted as Staff Officer Grade One Pacific Armies’ Chiefs’ Conference and Pacific Armies’ Management Seminar at Army Headquarters on 5 July 2006.

He has successfully completed military courses in Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United States and participated in the Defence Management Seminar in Canberra, Pacific Defence Studies Seminar in New Zealand, International Military Operations and Law Conference in Hawaii and Southeast Asia Peace Operations Seminar-Game in Indonesia. In December 1998, he graduated from the Australian Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliff. His tertiary qualifications include a degree of Master of Defence Studies from Canberra University, Post Graduate Diploma in Defence and Strategic Studies from Massey University, New Zealand and a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from the University of Newcastle.

In May 2003, he was awarded the MFO Director General’s Award for outstanding leadership - becoming the first of Fiji’s Battalion Commanders to receive such award. In October 2004 at an investiture ceremony in Suva, he was awarded Fiji’s Command Medal by the President of the Republic of Fiji.

He assumed his current appointment as Staff Officer Grade One Peacekeeping at the ADF Warfare Centre on 21 January 2008.

He is married to Sandra and they have two daughters and a son. His leisure interests include weights training, martial arts, reading, listening to the news and documentary programs and following almost all sports.

Anthony joined the RAN as a seaman officer in February 1976. After initial training at HMAS CERBERUS, he served in HMA Ships DUCHESS, VENDETTA, SNIPE, STUART, DERWENT, MELBOURNE, BRUNEI and WHYALLA between 1976 and 1986. Overseas deployments included Fiji, South East Asia, and the Indian Ocean region.

Anthony served ashore at the Fleet Operations Centre, Sydney and the Senior Sailors Management School, HMAS CERBERUS, Victoria. He completed the RAN Staff Course in mid-1989 and joined Naval Support Command Headquarters (NSCHQ) in Sydney, in the facilities planning section. From 1992 to 1995 he was a part of the team that refurbished the Royal Edward Victualling Yard (REVY) for the new NSCHQ, and was building manager at REVY until leaving the RAN in February 1996.

From 1996 to 2004, as a Naval Reservist, Anthony undertook a variety of tasks in HMAS KUTTABUL whilst looking after the needs of a young family. He returned to full-time service in 2004, initially at HQ Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) in the Operations (J3) branch, then at HQ Air Command (HQAC) in the Plans (A5) Directorate.

He joined the ADF Peacekeeping Centre in December 2005. From Jan - Mar 06, he was part of a small team of Australians that visited Cambodia to provide a UN Military Observers Course (UNMOC) for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. 30 Cambodian, 2 Vietnamese, and 2 Laotian students successfully qualified as United Nations Military Observers (UNMO).

During 2006, Anthony also participated in a UN Standardised Training Modules (STM) development workshop in Bangladesh, was part of the HICON team for Exercise VITAL PROSPECT 06, attended the Centre For UN Peacekeeping in India, as a student on the UN Military Contingent Junior Officers Module, was again Course Manager for the UNMOC conducted at RAAF Williamtown, and he participated in the Australian Command & Staff College Stabilisation Operations theory module and practical exercise.

During 2007, Anthony was involved in organising the inaugural ASEAN Regional Forum Peacekeeping Experts Meeting, which Australia co-hosted with Malaysia. He was Seminar Manager for the ADF International Peace Operations Seminar (IPOS) that was held in Canberra 30 Jul – 10 Aug 07. In Sep 07, he participated in the UN Military Observers Course run by Chile’s peace training centre CECOPAC.

2008 saw a shift in activity towards the impending commercialisation of the ADFWC. Anthony assisted with the running of both the IPOS and UNMOC, whilst focusing on the requirements of moving to a commercially-supported ADFWC. Anthony transferred back to the Active Reserve on 01 Jan 09.

Anthony is married to Helen, his wife of 26 years, who is a Major in the Army Reserve. They have three sons: Damien (22), Adrian (21) and Timothy (16).

Anthony’s interests include boats, cars, books, music and wine.

After completing his NSW Higher School Certificate at Belmont High, just south of Newcastle, Squadron Leader Pritchard began an apprenticeship as a Draughtsman. However, after eighteen months working at the Newcastle BHP Steel works he joined the RAAF as a Clerk Trainee in 1976.

As an airmen Jim served at several units at RAAF Richmond until 1980. During this time he completed his Clerk Administrative conversion course and was promoted to Corporal. In 1980 Jim was posted to RAAF Williamtown where he served with 77 Squadron prior to proceeding on posting to HQIADS, Butterworth Malaysia. Whilst serving at Butterworth Jim was promoted to Sergeant and posted to Headquarters Butterworth for a short period before completing his Malaysian tour at No 4 RAAF Hospital, Butterworth.

On return to Australia, in 1987, Sergeant Pritchard was posted to the Directorate of Personnel Officers, Canberra. That same year Jim was posted to the RAAF School of Clerical and Supply Training, Wagga, as a Clerk Instructor. It was during this posting that Jim was commissioned as a Pilot Officer Administrative Officer on 7 May 1988. After completing his Officer Training as Dux of the course Pilot Officer Pritchard was posted to Headquarters Logistics Command as the Administrative Officer to Commander Logistics Command.

In 1990 as a Flying Officer Jim’s next appointment was to ADF Recruiting Melbourne as the Careers and Tours Officer. Among the many various tasks Flight Lieutenant Pritchard under took as a Recruiting Officer was the job of touring Victoria and southern NSW in CT4 and PC9 aircraft delivering Sir Richard Williams Scholarships to ADFA Candidates.

Flight Lieutenant Pritchard’s first unit Administrative Officer appointment was that of Administrative Officer to No 25 (Composite) Squadron at RAAF Pearce, just north of Perth.After almost two years at 25 Squadron Jim was posted to RAAF Base Tindal, Katherine in the Northern Territory as the Officer in Charge of Administrative Support Services at 322 Air Base Wing, fulfilling the Personnel and Financial Accounting Officer roles. His last six months at Tindal he was appointed as the Regional Education Officer. His next appointment was as the Support Officer to Airfield Operations Commander at HMAS Albatross, Nowra 1997. During the following year he served as the Personal Staff officer to the HMAS Albatross Executive Officer, where he was awarded a commendation for his service.

On promotion to Squadron Leader Jim returned to RAAF Williamtown as the Officer in Charge of Personnel Services Flight at 302 Air Base Wing. It was during this period that Defence Corporate Services Group assumed responsibility for administrative services and in the subsequent re-organisation Squadron Leader Pritchard was posted to Combat Support Flight Williamtown as the Staff Officer Support. However, this posting was short lived and in the same year, 2000, Squadron Leader Pritchard joined the Joint Task Force 112 for Operation Gold, the 2000 Sydney Olympics. As an Operations Officer Squadron Leader Pritchard perform the Operations Room’s Duty Officer role.

Following the Olympics Squadron Leader Pritchard was appointed Staff Officer Personnel at Headquarters Surveillance and Reporting Group, in 2001. An additional responsibility was that of Senior Administrative Officer No 41 Wing. In late 2001 Jim was seconded to HQ Australian Theatre for Operation Slipper to assist with the preparations for the first deployment force. In 2004 Jim transferred to the RAAF Reserve and accepted a position with a Maitland based Training Company as their Chief Finance Officer. In 2006 Squadron Leader Pritchard accepted an offer to return to the Permanent Air Force and transferred back from the Reserves to his current appointment as Staff Officer Co-ordination at the Australian Defence Force Warfare Centre.

Jim is married to Colleen and they have three adult sons, Matthew, Adam and Grant plus a teenage daughter Emma. They live in their own home at Nelson Bay with their three youngest children.  Matthew the eldest is an Engineer with a local Newcastle firm.  Jim holds an Advance Diploma of Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce.