Rear Admiral David Johnston
Rear Admiral David Johnston - Biography
Rear Admiral David Johnston was appointed Commander Border Protection Command in December 2011.
As commander of the whole of government multi-agency organisation he is responsible for the security of Australia's maritime domain utilising resources from both the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.
Rear Admiral D.L. Johnston RAN graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1982 as a seaman officer, later specialising as a Principal Warfare Officer. His operational tours include serving as Commanding Officer of HMAS ADELAIDE (FFG 01) and HMAS NEWCASTLE (FFG 06). The latter command included deployment on Operation QUICKSTEP to Fiji in 2006.
His staff appointments include Command and Control specialist staff positions in Australian Defence Headquarters, Operations Manager at Sailors' Career Management and later as Director Joint Plans in Strategic Operations Division, where he developed the military response options for consideration by Government.
In July 2007 on promotion to Commodore he joined Fleet Headquarters as Commodore Flotillas where he was responsible for planning of maritime operations and the operational training and preparedness of Navy's ships, submarines and diving teams.
In 2008 he performed the Deputy Coalition Force Maritime Component Commander role and Australian National Commander for Exercise RIMPAC 08.
In November 2008 Commodore Johnston assumed the role of J3 (Director General Operations) at Headquarters Joint Operations Command. This role encompassed the operational level execution of all Australian Defence Force operations both overseas and within Australia.
In October 2010, he deployed to Operation SLIPPER in the Middle East Area of Operations as the Deputy Commander Joint Task Force 633.
He supported the Commander JTF in providing national command oversight of all Australian Defence Force elements conducting maritime, land and air operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was promoted to Rear Admiral in March 2011 to perform the role of Deputy Commander of the Combined AS/US Task Force for Exercise TALISMAN SABRE and assumed the role of Deputy Chief Joint Operations Command on 6 June 2011.
He commanded the Defence operations that supported CHOGM 2011 and the visit by the President of the United States of America later in that year.
Rear Admiral Johnston is married and has two children.
He holds a Master of Science in Operations Research from the USN Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the Australian Defence College, Weston Creek.
He participated in the inaugural Australian Security Executive Development Program in 2009.