Changing times in senior ranks

By LEUT Aaron Matzkows

Australia has a new Deputy Chief of Navy.

A Seaman Officer with extensive at-sea experience, RADM Max Hancock is the former Director General of Coastwatch.

RADM Hancock joined the RAN in 1972 as a Cadet Midshipman and spent four years at the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay.

In 1984, he trained as a specialist in anti-submarine warfare at the Royal Navy Principal Warfare Officers’ course in the UK, then spent two years as Operations Officer of a Royal Navy frigate in The Gulf during the Iran/Iraq war.

He was Executive Officer of HMAS Derwent and Commanding Officer of the patrol boat HMAS Buccaneer and of HMAS Melbourne, then became Commodore Flotillas.

As a Commander, he spent three years in various positions at HMAS Watson and was promoted to Captain in 1997. He served as Director Naval Personnel Management, Director Warfare Policy and Doctrine – Navy and as Chief of Staff to CN.

In December 2000, he hoisted his Commodore’s pennant and was appointed Chief of Staff and Deputy Maritime Commander, before being promoted to Rear Admiral two years ago.

RADM Hancock and his wife, Sarah, live in Canberra. He replaces the incoming Maritime Commander, RADM Rowan Moffitt, who had been Deputy Chief of Navy since 2002.

A Sydneysider, RADM Moffitt graduated from the RANC, Jervis Bay, in 1975. He was posted to the UK as navigator in the commissioning crew of the first-ofclass patrol boat, HMAS Fremantle.

A period on the staff of the Directorate of Naval Officers’ Postings included serving as RAN Contingent Commander in HMY Britannia during the Queen’s visit for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Later he was navigator in HMA Ships Torrens, Brisbane and Hobart.

On promotion to Commander he returned to Brisbane as XO and for a short time was her CO. He was Commissioning CO of HMAS Newcastle and in a third stint in Brisbane the then CAPT Moffitt was again her CO.

Other postings have included the staff of the Director Joint Plans at HQADF, Chief Staff Officer Operations at MHQ, Director General Navy Capability Management and Commandant of the ADF Warfare Centre.

The previous Maritime Commander was RADM Raydon Gates, MCAUST for two years. He served in HMA Ships Yarra, Stalwart, Attack and Ardent, then as an Air Intercept Controller in Melbourne and Hobart and as Operations and Direction Officer in Perth.

He was later XO of HMAS Swan and CO of Canberra and Adelaide. His new position is head of the Australian Defence staff in Washington.

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