The Geddes Papers are a collection of research papers produced by students undertaking the Australian Command and Staff Course (ACSC).
The papers represent the best student essays of the ACSC intake for the previous year, and are selected to represent a variety of opinions from students attending the Australian Command and Staff College.
Background
The Geddes Papers are named after Brigadier Ian Geddes who, in a distinguished 37 year career in the Australian Army, saw active service in World War II, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, and Vietnam War.
In 1970, Geddes was selected as the inaugural Director of the Joint Services Wing (JSW) of the Australian Services Staff College in Canberra. Between 1970 and 1972, he and his team were highly successful in their task of setting the new institution on a sound educational footing.
In July 1972, the JSW changed its name to the Australian Joint Services Staff College (JSSC). In 2001, the 3 single service staff colleges were collocated in Canberra on the site of the JSSC, as the Australian Command and Staff College.
The Geddes Papers were first published in 2003. The paper series was discontinued in 2005 and the student papers were published in the Australian Defence Force Journal until 2018. The Geddes Papers were reinvigorated in 2025.
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this publication are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Australian Government or Defence.
While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication, the Commonwealth of Australia and the author disclaim all liability howsoever caused arising from the use of, or reliance on, this publication. By accessing this publication users are deemed to have consented to this condition and agree that this publication is used entirely at their own risk.
Copyright
© Commonwealth of Australia 2026
This publication – excluding the Defence logo, Australian Defence College crest and images – is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international licence. All images in this publication are copyright Commonwealth of Australia. Full terms and conditions of use are available through the Defence Image Library. Any reproduction of material in this publication must be attributed to its source.