As she steps out of her role as Chief of Joint Capabilities and into the shoes of Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle takes her own advice and finds time to talk to Squadron Leader Glen Paul about what has been achieved.

For most of her nearly four decades in uniform, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle’s career has been shaped by leadership, service and the Army.

Then came Joint Capabilities Group, taking her into a very different world.

As she prepares to hand over command and become Australia’s 42nd Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Coyle has taken the opportunity to reflect on leading one of Defence’s newest and most technically demanding organisations through a period of rapid change.

Appointed Chief of Joint Capabilities in July 2024, she assumed responsibility for the Space and Cyber domains and national support for Defence.

It was a role unlike any she had held before, placing her at the centre of capabilities that are increasingly critical to modern warfare and the Integrated Force.

During her tenure, she saw growing recognition that cyber, space and national support capabilities were not simply enablers, but core contributors in their own right within the Integrated Force.

Yet when she reflects on her time in command, she does not start with technology.

She starts with people.

“Our people in every role, in every job, they work their guts out, and that is the truth. You see that each and every day,” she said.

Whether developing emerging technologies, delivering critical logistics support or building new workforce capabilities, success came from the combined efforts of ADF personnel, Australian Public Service staff, contractors and industry partners working towards a common goal.

“We’re not just buying kit off the shelf. We’re actually creating new capabilities and technologies. To see people work so well together, whether it’s contractors, industry, our APS, our ADF or our own workforce, it’s really inspiring,” she said.

'Our people in every role, in every job, they work their guts out, and that is the truth. You see that each and every day.'

That collective effort has helped a relatively young organisation truly evolve as it celebrated its ninth birthday on July 1.

For Lieutenant General Coyle, one of the most satisfying aspects of her tenure has been watching Joint Capabilities Group continue to mature.

“We’ve started to see the settling of our foundation, which will be the future for the group moving forward,” she said.

“We stand on the shoulders of others. This isn’t just during my watch. It’s been a continual evolution since we were created on 1 July 2017.”

Like many young organisations, Joint Capabilities Group has spent much of its life explaining exactly what it does.

Lieutenant General Coyle laughed that, even now, many people across Defence still struggle to understand the breadth of the group’s responsibilities.

“I think our name is like a deception campaign because no one understands what Joint Capabilities means,” she said.

But she believes the organisation’s contribution is becoming increasingly recognised.

“We’re only young, but we can’t afford to wait 125 years like the traditional services. We’re trying to catch up as quickly as we can because if you’re zero in one domain, you’re zero in all,” she said.

That growing confidence was reflected in a group-wide rebranding exercise, which produced the slogan 'Our People, Our Edge'.

One alternative suggestion that particularly caught her attention was considerably more blunt: “Without us, you’re screwed.”

She smiled at the suggestion, but the underlying message was clear.

“You only have to spend five minutes in this group with any one of the amazing units to see that we absolutely contribute to Defence,” she said.

Partnerships have been equally important. From Australian industry to international partners and allies, Lieutenant General Coyle said capability delivery is increasingly a collective endeavour.

“Without industry, we don’t have a Defence Force. We are foundationally interlinked with industry in everything we do, and that’s a good thing,” she said.

'We’re trying to catch up as quickly as we can because if you’re zero in one domain, you’re zero in all.'

The experience has also shaped her personally. After decades of leading soldiers and serving on operations, she found herself immersed in capabilities and technologies that demanded a different way of thinking.

“I’ve been in the Army almost 40 years. I’ve led units, commanded soldiers and deployed on operations, and now I’ve come into a job that is so much more technical,” she said.

“It’s made me a better officer, able to understand the strategic environment and help nuance that as we evolve the group.”

That broader perspective will come with her into the role of Chief of Army.

Reflecting on her upcoming appointment as Australia’s 42nd Chief of Army, she described it as both a privilege and something she never expected.

“My whole adult life has been in the Army. To be the 42nd Chief of Army, what a privilege,” she said.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the institution. I feel so ready for this job because it’s everything I’ve ever done.”

Her advice to her successor, Air Vice-Marshal Glen Braz, who will be promoted to Air Marshal on appointment, was characteristically direct.

“Strap in,” she said before adding more seriously, “Take the time to get out and visit the units, to see the good work we’re doing, and to understand by listening to our people what more we can do to support them. They won’t disappoint.”

As she moves on, Lieutenant General Coyle hopes the strong people-focused culture that has shaped her leadership endures.

Reflecting on her time in command, she noted that leaders rarely have the opportunity to pause and consider what has been achieved.

“We never take the time to reflect enough,” she said.