Commander 3rd Brigade

Brigadier S.L. Smith, AM

Stuart Smith was born on 1st November 1963 in Sydney. He was educated at Saint Paul's College in Adelaide and gained scholarship entry to RMC Duntroon in 1981.

He graduated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1984 and has completed a variety of regimental postings in the light and mechanised battalions of The Royal Australian Regiment.

In 1996 he attended the British Army Command and Staff College in Camberley. He subsequently completed staff appointments at Headquarters 3rd Brigade in Townsville and Army Headquarters in Canberra. He served as the Chief of Army Liaison Officer to the Australian Government Senate Committee Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in 2002. During the period 2004/5 he served as the Chief of Staff, 1st Division and Deployable Joint Force Headquarters in Brisbane.

Brigadier Smith has considerable operational experience. He served as a Military Observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Lebanon and Syria during 1993. He also served as a Plans/Liaison Officer with the US led Coalition Task Force Headquarters in Kuwait during 1999/2000. In 2003 he commanded the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on peace keeping duties as part of the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor. In late 2004 he deployed as the Chief of Staff for the ADF Joint Task Force 629 responsible for earthquake/tsunami relief activities in Aceh. He served as the Deputy Commander of the ADF Joint Task Force 633 in Afghanistan during 2008.

He was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours List 2005 for exceptional service to the Australian Army as Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment and Commanding Officer AUSBATT VIII East Timor.

Brigadier Smith is a graduate of the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Australian Defence College. He holds tertiary qualifications of Bachelor of Arts (1984), Masters of Business Administration (2000), Graduate Diploma in Defence and Strategic Studies (2006) and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2007). He is married to Karen and they have three adult children. His interests include reading Australian literature, cross country running, and Australian Football.

Regimental Sergeant Major 3rd Brigade

Warrant Officer Class One G.S. (Grant) McFarlane, OAM

Warrant Officer Grant McFarlane was born in Casterton, Victoria on 24 November 1962. He enlisted in the Australian Regular Army on 26 February 1980. From 1 RTB he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and after Initial Employment Training was posted to the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, in Woodside SA.

After serving six years with the 3rd Battalion in a number of Regimental appointments, he was posted to the School of Infantry, as an instructor at Depot Company. Following this he was posted back to the 3rd Battalion as a PLSGT for three years were he served in both a Rifle Company and Support Company.

From the 3rd Battalion he had three years back at the School of Infantry as an Instructor at Specialist Wing and Careers Wing, where he also completed his promotion courses for Warrant Officer and was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two in 1996 and in 1997 posted as the Training Warrant Officer in the Pilbra Regiment, Tom Price.

In 1999 Warrant Officer McFarlane was posted back to the 3rd Battalion as a Company Sergeant Major. During this time he deployed to East Timor as past of INTERFET. In 2001 he was posted to 10th / 27th Battalion, The Royal South Australia Regiment as the Operations / Training Warrant Officer. During this posting he also successfully completed the 2001 Regimental Sergeant Majors Course.

In January 2003 Warrant Officer McFarlane was promoted to Warrant Officer Class One and appointed the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 10th/27th Battalion, The Royal South Australia Regiment. After only one year as the RSM he was posted back to the School of Infantry as the Wing Sergeant Major to oversee the mandatory changes and development of Rifleman Wing. At the end of 2004 he was appointed the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, which has been the highlight of his career. He again deployed to East Timor on Operation Astute in May 2006.

In January 2007, Warrant Officer McFarlane was posted to the Soldier Career Management Agency as the Career Manager for Regimental Sergeants; he was also the Senior Career Manager for Infantry Corp's for nine months. For his work and dedication to the 10th/27th Battalion, Rifleman Wing and the 3rd Battalion, he was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2007 Queens Birthday Day honours list.

On the 19th January he assumed the position as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 3 Brigade.

Warrant Officer McFarlane is married to Tracey and has two sons. Warrant Officer McFarlane has many interests, including watching his sons play sport, rugby union, running and bike riding.

Deputy Commander 3rd Brigade

Lieutenant Colonel R.C. (Bob) Hamilton

Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton was born in Cooma 8 Sep 1965 and completed school at Nyngan in western NSW. He enlisted in the Army 22 Jan 1984 and attended the RMC and ADFA graduating in December 1988 with a BA (English). Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton's initial posting was as a Platoon Commander, Delta Company, 5/7 RAR followed by appointment as a Platoon Commander with Depot Company, RAR. Whilst at Depot Coy Lieutenant Colonel HAMILTON completed the pilot Commando Selection Course and was subsequently promoted to Captain and posted as the Senior Instructor Water Operations, 1st Commando Regiment (the Army Dive School). During his time with the 1st Commando Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton deployed on EX Long Look as 2nd in command ZULU Coy, 45 Commando, Royal Marines (RM), and completed the Amphibious Warfare Planning Course at RM Poole.

On return to Australia he was panelled to attend the Republic Fiji Military Force Grade 2 Staff Course, in Suva. Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton's subsequent postings as a Captain include; Mortar Platoon Commander, 2/4 RAR and SO3 Operations, HQ 3 Bde.

In January 1997 he was promoted to Major and appointed as Officer Commanding Bravo Company, 2 RAR where he was fortunate to command the Company in Hawaii on EX GOLD EAGLE 1999 with the USMC, and as an element of the 2 RAR Battle Group during OP WARDEN. For service during OP WARDEN Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service.

On return from East Timor Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton attended Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliff and completed a Masters of Defence Studies. He was subsequently appointed SO2 Dismounted Combat, Force Development Group LWDC, and received a Training Commander's Commendation for his coordination of Urban Operations Development.
Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in Jan 2003 and appointed SO1 Joint Plans, Operations Branch, LHQ. In this appointment he was the lead Land Component planner for a wide range of domestic and offshore operations including; OP FALCONER, the Rugby World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the SUDAN, OP TSUMATRA ASSIST, the AMTG, and OP SLIPPER. He also developed the Land Commander's Concept for Domestic Security Operations.

In Jan 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton was posted as Chief of Staff HQ 3 Bde and almost immediately appointed CO AATT Iraq - 6 where he commanded the three Army training sites and provided the J7 function to HQ JTF 633. Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton returned from Iraq in Dec 2006 and was redesignated the Acting Deputy Commander, 3 Bde.

Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton lives in Annandale and is married to Louise. He has two sons Callum (5) and Rowan (2) and a baby daughter, Lucy (3 months). He enjoys running, swimming, golf, hairy goose chases and collecting snow scenes.