Defence Leaders: Army
Major General David Morrison
Deputy Chief of Army (DCA)
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Major General David Morrison was born in 1956. He joined the Army in 1979, after completing a BA at the Australian National University. He graduated from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and between 1980 and 1991 he held a variety of regimental positions, from Lieutenant to Major, in Brisbane, Singleton and Newcastle. He was also the Australian Instructor at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst UK in the period 19871988.
In 1992 he attended Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliff and was then appointed as the Brigade Major of the 3rd Brigade, based in Townsville. During that time he took part in Operation Lagoon, acting as chief of staff for a multinational force that provided security to the peace conference held in Bouganville in 1994. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1995 and spent two years at Army Headquarters as the Director of Preparedness and Mobilisation.
In 1997 he was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment. He held that position until the end of 1998 when he was posted as Chief Instructor Command, Staff Operations Wing at the Army All Corps Promotion Training Centre in Canungra. Major General Morrison was awarded an AM in 1999 for his services as Brigade Major, Director of Preparedness and Mobilisation and CO 2RAR.
He was promoted to Colonel in October 1999 and was appointed as Colonel Operations, Headquarters International Force East Timor (INTERFET). On his return to Australia, he was posted to the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters as Chief of Staff. He left that position at the end of 2001 to attend the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Canberra. He graduated in 2002 with an MA in Strategic Studies.
Major General Morrison was promoted to Brigadier in November 2002 and commanded the 3rd Brigade from December 2002 until December 2004. He was then appointed as Director-General Preparedness and Plans - Army and held that position until his promotion to Major General in December 2005. He was appointed Commander of the Australian Defence College in January 2006 and then appointed Head Military Strategic Commitments in April 2007.
Major General Morrison took up his appointment as Deputy Chief of Army in February 2008.
His hobbies include remembering when he used to play golf, running and reading. He is married to Gayle.