BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

Brigadier M.R. McNarn, AM

Australian National Commander – Middle East area of operations

Brigadier Maurie McNarn entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1975, graduated in 1978 and was allocated to the Royal Australian Signal Corps. He served as a Troop Commander and later Assistant Operations Officer at 2nd Signal Regiment (Corps). Other postings included Operations Officer of the 146th Signal Squadron, 9th Brigade (Infantry), Operations Officer of the 139th Signal Squadron and Brigade Reconnaissance Officer, 6th Brigade (Infantry/Amphibious). In 1986/87 he served with UNTSO, initially on Observation Posts and then on a special team attached to a Finnish Infantry Battalion on the Golan Heights and later to a Norwegian Infantry Battalion in South Lebanon.

Returning to Australia he was posted to Operations Branch, Army Headquarters; followed by a posting as Assistant Defence Attache on the Defence Staff of the Australian High Commission in Malaysia. From Malaysia, Brigadier McNarn was posted to Singapore where he attended the Tri-Service Singapore Armed Forces Staff College, graduating as the student of merit. He subsequently completed an attachment with the Australian High Commission Defence Staff Singapore.

On return to Australia he commanded the 139th Signal Squadron, 6th Brigade (now Infantry/Mechanised) and in 1992/93 was an Instructor and Division Head at Army Command and Staff College, Fort Queenscliff. He then served as Commanding Officer of 1st Signal Regiment (1st Division) and Commanding Officer of the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters in 1994/95. In 1996 Brigadier McNarn was posted as the Director of Officer Career Management – Army. In 1999 he attended the Australian Defence College in Canberra, and was then appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon in December 1999. In January 2002 he was appointed Director General Joint Operations and Plans at Strategic Command, Headquarters Australian Defence Force. In November 2002 he deployed as Australian National Commander – Middle East Area of Operations (Operation SLIPPER).

On completion of his deployment in late May 2003, BRIG. McNarn returned to Australia for some well-earned leave and to assume the role of Director General Personnel-Army.

Brigadier McNarn holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), a Graduate Diploma of Telecommunications Systems Management, a Graduate Diploma of Management Studies, a Masters of Defence Studies and a Masters of Business Administration. He was awarded a Chief of Army Commendation in 1991. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996.