John Frewen
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branchAustralian Army
Years of service1983–present
RankLieutenant General
Commands heldChief of Joint Capabilities (2021–)
National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (2021–22)
Joint Task Force 633 (2017–18)
Military Strategic Commitments Division (2014–16)
1st Brigade (2012–14)
Combined Task Force 635 (2003)
2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2003–04)
Battles/warsUnited Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands
War in Afghanistan
Military intervention against ISIL
AwardsOfficer of the Order of Australia
Distinguished Service Cross
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)

Lieutenant General John James Frewen, AO, DSC is a senior officer in the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Royal Military College, Duntroon and was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1986. He was posted to the First Battalion of the Royal Australia Regiment (1RAR), were he took up the role as Platoon Commander - 7 Platoon Charlie Company. He has commanded the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2003–04), Combined Task Force 635 (2003), the 1st Brigade (2012–14), Military Strategic Commitments Division (2014–16) and Joint Task Force 633 (2017–18), and deployed on operations to Rwanda, the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan. He was appointed Principal Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate in March 2018, Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce in June 2021, and Chief of Joint Capabilities in September 2021.

Military career

As a lieutenant colonel, Frewen commanded the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) from January 2003 to December 2004. In this role, he was the initial international force commander for the Solomon Islands crisis in 2003. He commanded rotation 1 from initial deployment on 24 July until 19 November 2003. The task force comprised almost half of 2RAR, augmented by other Australian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, and troops from New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. At its peak, he commanded 1900 personnel, HMAS Manoora, four other ships, Australian and New Zealand helicopters, and two Australian Caribou aircraft. He identified the surrender of warlord Harold Keke on 13 August 2003 as the highlight of the deployment.[1][2] Frewen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) as part of the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours for "Exceptional performance during operations as the commander of Combined Joint Task Force (JTF) 635 during Operation Anode from July to November 2003."[3][4]

Frewen commanded the 1st Brigade from 2012 to 2014 and Joint Task Force 633 in the Middle East from 2017 to 2018.[1] He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) as part of the 2019 Australia Day Honours for "Distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations as the Commander Joint Task Force 633 on Operations OKRA and HIGHROAD from January 2017 to January 2018."[5][6]

Frewen was appointed Principal Deputy Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) on 1 March 2018.[1][7]

On 9 March 2020, the Australian Defence Organisation established a COVID-19 taskforce and seconded Frewen from ASD to lead it.[8][7] Frewen was appointed Coordinator General of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce on 4 June 2021. The taskforce was responsible for coordinating the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines.[9][10] Frewen succeeded Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead as Chief of Joint Capabilities in September 2021, but remained seconded to the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce until July 2022.[11][12] In recognition of his "exceptional leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic", Frewen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Leadership". Australian Signals Directorate. Australian Government. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Rollings, Barry (5 August 2010). "Trailblazers set tone" (PDF). Army (1241 ed.). p. 31 (PDF page 29). Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM) entry for Colonel John James FREWEN". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2020. For exceptional performance during operations as the Commander of Combined Joint Task Force 635 during Operation ANODE from July to November 2003.
  4. ↑ "The Queen's Birthday 2004 Honours" (PDF). Gazette. Australian Government. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  5. ↑ "Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) entry for Lieutenant General John James FREWEN AM". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020. For distinguished command and leadership in warlike operations as the Commander Joint Task Force 633 on Operations OKRA and HIGHROAD from January 2017 to January 2018.
  6. ↑ "Australia Day 2019 Honours List". Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. 26 January 2019. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Defence COVID-19 Taskforce". Department of Defence. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  8. ↑ Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC (1 April 2020). "Expansion of ADF support to COVID-19 Assist" (Press release). Department of Defence. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Remeikis, Amy; Hurst, Daniel (11 July 2021). "General confusion: who is John Frewen, and what is his role in Australia's vaccine rollout?". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "About Operation COVID Shield". Department of Health. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  11. ↑ "Lieutenant General John Frewen, DSC, AM". Department of Defence. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Daniel, Dana (2 August 2022). "Operation COVID Shield Ends as Vaccination Booster Rates Stall". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "Officer (AO) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). Australia Day 2023 Honours List. Office of the Governor-General of Australia. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
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