Laying down his sword
After 40 years in uniform, the CDF, General Peter Cosgrove, reflects on a career built on a simple principle – serving the nation. In his final interview for the Service newspapers, he spoke with CPL Cameron Jamieson.

CPL Cameron Jamieson

CDF GEN Peter Cosgrove checks the day’s movements at Baghdad International Airport with FLTLT Peter Cain, left, and FLTLT Alan Faggotter during a visit to the MEAO in November 2003.

Photo by CPL Darren Hilder

CDF GEN Peter Cosgrove autographs the brassard of FSGT Kent Scott during his visit to the MEAO in April 2003.

Photo by Cpl Darren Hilder

GEN Peter Cosgrove prepares to retire from the ADF. When asked what artefact in his office he treasured the most, he immediately reached for his slouch hat and said, “This is it”.

Photo by Cpl Cameron Jamieson

The time has come for one of Australia’s most charismatic soldiers to lay his slouch hat aside.

The Chief of Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, is retiring from the ADF, ending a remarkable four decades of service and devotion to the country that honoured him as the Australian of the Year in 2001.

Like Generals Monash and Blamey before him, his name has been elevated to the ranks of Australia’s most famous military leaders, and like them he will be remembered for generations to come.

As I walk into his office he strides over to welcome me, symbolising his status as a man who treats enlisted ranks with the same degree of respect he offers prime ministers and presidents.

Outside the winter sun is setting over Canberra, and the golden rays of light that flood his office only help to magnify the sense of finality that comes with retirement.

But every day must pass, and soon the public memory of the GEN will be consigned to the ADF’s rich tapestry of triumph and honour.

As I take my seat I realise I am a witness to the closing of a great chapter in the story of Australia.

GEN Cosgrove relaxes into his chair and the recorder is switched on.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“I can look back and say with great satisfaction that the ADF has achieved everything the government has asked of it, and everything above and beyond what the people of Australia could expect of it,” he says of his time as CDF.

“We finished off a very successful tour of duty in Afghanistan and the nearby region.

“We helped in the immediate aftermath of Bali, and conducted war operations in Iraq with great success.

“We evolved our operations in East Timor and led the military coalition to the Solomon Islands.

“Our ongoing operations in Iraq and the Middle East have been highly regarded by our coalition partners, and we also responded tremendously to the recent disasters in Indonesia.

“In those and countless other ways I think the ADF has performed wonderfully.”

The subject turns to how the ADF has evolved during his tenure as CDF, and the GEN leans forward in his seat, underlying his keen interest in the constant progress that keeps Australia’s military at the forefront of world standards and capability.

“There has been a subtle change and some dramatic and observable ones,” he says.

“Subtly, as the years have gone by, we have become more and more joint operations-focused.

“People of all three services now work easily and frequently together, and we are now one of the most jointly-formed and jointly-operating forces in the world.

“Other changes have been more dramatic.

“For example, in 1999 the operational experiences within the three services, to a large degree, had eroded away.

“The operational tempo was not very high, but since then it has been incredibly high and varied.

“The services now have a great deal of operational experience, which means there is a bedrock that will carry them professionally and competently forward into the next decades of the 21st century.

“There has also been the onset and responses to terrorism.

“We’ve reinforced the Army’s Special Forces, we’ve promoted further Special Forces capabilities within Navy and we’ve raised a new unit for chemical, biological and radiological defence.

“We’ve also looked at the special operations capability of the Air Force, and we’ve addressed our barrack and installation security.”

There has also been the push towards modernisation in each of the fighting environments - maritime, land and air.

“In each case there are tremendous projects underway that will modernise the ADF from around 2008 through to 2020.

“This means we will remain at the forefront of modernity, in regards to equipment and trained personnel, within our region.”

The interview changes pace as I ask GEN Cosgrove what has been his best and worst memories as CDF.

He immediately elects to talk about the worst memory, confirming his reputation as a leader whose troops are at the forefront of his mind.

“Every service death is heartbreaking, but as CDF you especially feel the loss of personnel on operations.

“There is no doubt that the low point of my time as CDF was the sadness brought by the loss of our men and women in the Sea King tragedy - the numbers of people involved, and seeing their bereaved families and so many people without a loved-one.

“It was a terrible thing for the families, and a sad time for all men and women in the ADF, and as their leader, I felt it.

“That’s why my best memories tend to be the homecomings.

“When people step out of ships and aircraft to return safely home after doing a marvellous job, to the well-deserved plaudits from the Australian people, it is absolutely the best time.

“There have been many high points for me as CDF, but nothing beats a homecoming.”

There has been speculation in the media about his future plans, but when I ask him there is no hint of doubt or evasiveness in his voice.

“I’m going to make a clean break from the military, it’s the usual and right thing to do,” he says.

“My 40 years in the military has been a wonderful experience and I’ll be leaving with great nostalgia and sadness at no longer jumping into my uniform in the morning and racing to work with the enthusiasm of simply spending another day as a soldier and as the CDF.

“I’ll do some things in corporate life, but I have no plans or expectations for a further role in public life.

“I’ll be in public but not a public figure, remaining busy and spending a lot more time with my wife and kids.

“But from afar I’ll be admiring what the ADF is doing.”

Finally it is time to ask him if he has a parting message for the ADF, and his reply is simple yet poignant.

“Serving your country is one of the most honourable things I can ever conceive of doing,” he says.

“Be confident you are working as a member of one of the three services that collectively makes up the best Defence Force in the world.”

The interview is over, and I am allowed one more glimpse of General Cosgrove’s passion for the ADF.

There is time for a photo shoot before I leave, so I make myself busy preparing my camera and tripod.

I tell the General I would like to photograph him in a moment of reflection, and I ask him to hold his most favourite artefact in the office.

There is no hesitation as he tells me there is one thing in the room that he values above all else.
He crosses to his desk, picks up an object, then walks back to me and looks me in the eye.

“This is it,” he declares.

In his hands is his slouch hat.

That, more than anything else, tells the story of the man.

“It was a terrible thing for the families, and a sad time for all men and women in the ADF, and as their leader, I felt it.
“That’s why my best memories tend to be the homecomings.

“When people step out of ships and aircraft to return safely home after doing a marvellous job, to the well-deserved plaudits from the Australian people, it is absolutely the best time.

“There have been many high points for me as CDF, but nothing beats a homecoming.”


There has been speculation in the media about his future plans, but when I ask him there is no hint of doubt or evasiveness in his voice.

“I’m going to make a clean break from the military, it’s the usual and right thing to do,” he says.

“My 40 years in the military has been a wonderful experience and I’ll be leaving with great nostalgia and sadness at no longer jumping into my uniform in the morning and racing to work with the enthusiasm of simply spending another day as a soldier and as the CDF.

“I’ll do some things in corporate life, but I have no plans or expectations for a further role in public life.
“I’ll be in public but not a public figure, remaining busy and spending a lot more time with my wife and kids.

“But from afar I’ll be admiring what the ADF is doing.”

Finally it is time to ask him if he has a parting message for the ADF, and his reply is simple yet poignant.
“Serving your country is one of the most honourable things I can ever conceive of doing,” he says.

“Be confident you are working as a member of one of the three services that collectively makes up the best Defence Force in the world.”

The interview is over, and I am allowed one more glimpse of GEN Cosgrove’s passion for the ADF.
There is time for a photo shoot before I leave, so I make myself busy preparing my camera and tripod.

I tell the GEN I would like to photograph him in a moment of reflection, and I ask him to hold his most favourite artefact in the office.

There is no hesitation as he tells me there is one thing in the room that he values above all else.
He crosses to his desk, picks up an object, then walks back to me and looks me in the eye.

“This is it,” he declares.

In his hands is his slouch hat.

That, more than anything else, tells the story of the man.

Memories to treasure

There have been many highlights in GEN Cosgrove’s 40 years of service, but when asked to identify the very best he finds four memories stand out above all others.

Staff Cadet – Duntroon:
“It got me through that difficult phase where I went from being a callow youth to a young and confident adult who was ready to take on command responsibilities.

All those wonderful men and women who were back there should take a bow because I must have been a hard bargain at times, but somehow they got me through. I think they’d be happy, all these years later, with the outcome.”

Infantry Platoon Commander – Vietnam
“The discovery that I was suited to the lifestyle and that I enjoyed the confidence of my troops in combat meant a great deal to me, especially in that first crucial command where you wonder if you have what it takes.”

INTERFET Commander – East Timor
“I was close to the end of my time as the Commander of the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters when the opportunity arose to lead the International Force for East Timor.

It was a wonderfully exciting and successful mission that brought great credit to the men and women of the 22 participating nations. It was also the thrill of a lifetime.”

Chief of the Defence Force
“Being head of your own service is wonderful, but there is no doubt that being the Chief of the Defence Force, where you are responsible for every man and woman in the ADF – wherever they are and whatever they are doing – is the most enormous privilege and thrill.”

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