David MOON
-
1973
Alumni Profiles
Description
BLUF: I have spent the last forty years serving in the ADF, 37.5 years in the ARA before reaching my use by date at age 60, I then transferred to the Reserve Force where I am currently serving. The Reserve ‘job’ is all that I’m doing with my time at the moment.
Facts & Figures
I graduated from Nepean High School in 1967 and then spent the next 5 years working and studying as a trainee metallurgist at the BHP steelworks in Port Kembla.
I enlisted in the ADF in Jan 73 and graduated to the Royal Australian Engineers Corps from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea, in Dec 73. Initial postings were regimental appointments in Field Engineer Regiments in Townsville, Mount Isa and Brisbane. Subsequent appointments as a junior officer were as a Garrison Engineer, Personnel Officer in Headquarters Field Force Command and as a training officer at the Land Warfare Centre.
In 1985 I undertook overseas training in both Canada and the US in areas of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defence (NBCD). Postings followed to Army Headquarters in engineer operations and the acquisition of combat engineering and NBCD equipment.
I attended Army Command and Staff College in 1989. This was followed with an appointment as Officer Commanding 20 Divisional Engineer Support Squadron in Brisbane. From 1992 to mid 1994 I was posted to the ADF Warfare Centre as a doctrine officer and operational analyst with responsibility for developing ADF doctrine in the areas of civil military cooperation (CIMIC), evacuation operations, NBCD, and explosive ordnance disposal.
In mid 1994 I was posted to the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) as the Civil Affairs/Engineer Operations officer. During this appointment I served as the operations officer for 3 months with the ADF Joint Task Force deployed to Papua New Guinea to assist the PNG Government with drought relief operations.
During the period 1999 to 2001 I was posted to HQNORCOM where I filled the appointment of the staff officer CIMIC. During this appointment I was extensively involved with support operations to the UN sponsored UNAMET election monitoring force and the UNTAET peacekeeping force in East Timor. I was also involved with the evacuation operations of UN personnel and East Timorese nationals from East Timor and the subsequent civil military operations in support of the multinational INTERFET peace enforcement operations, and UN and NGO humanitarian assistance activities in East Timor.
In 2000 I deployed for operational service on OP OSIER as part of the multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia. During this deployment I served as the Demining Officer on a multinational divisional HQ. Key responsibilities involved coordination and monitoring of Former Warring Factions demining programs to support displaced personnel and refugee returns, provision of force protection mine awareness training, and support to Government and NGO schoolchildren mine awareness programs.
In 2002 I was posted as Executive Officer at 2 CER. This was followed an appointment as CIMIC Staff Officer on DJFHQ. During this time at DJFHQ I deployed as OIC of the CIMIC support team during OP ANODE in the Solomon Islands during the period Jul to Nov 03. In Jan/Mar of 2005 I deployed into Banda Aceh as part of the combined AS/UK CIMIC team for the military response to the tsunami in northern Sumatra.
In 2006/07 I was posted as Training and Doctrine staff officer at the ADF Peacekeeping Centre. During this time I also acted as Director for the ADF Peacekeeping Centre and was the lead ADF planner for the Multi-Agency Response Group as part of Exercise Control for the combined ADF/US Ex TALISMAN SABRE 07.
In 2010/11 I deployed to Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan as Head Civil Military Operations in the HQ Combined Team Uruzgan.
I am currently posted to the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters as the Civil Military Operations training plans officer supporting the development and implementation of civil military operations plans into major ADF joint and combined exercises and operational force preparation activities.
Married to Paula and with two children Benjamin (a Bombardier in gun battery in Adelaide) and Lauren. Life is good here in Brisbane and with a recently purchased 4wd the possibility of disappearing into the great Australian outdoors should roll around at the end of 2014.
