Congratulations to UNE alumna Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, AM, CSC, DSM, who has been appointed the nation’s next Chief of Army, the Australian Army’s top job.
Lieutenant General Coyle will become the first woman to lead the Australian Army in its 125-year history and the first female head of any defence service when she assumes the role in July.
She has a Master of Organisational Development and Strategic Human Resource Management (2016) from UNE and is currently Chief of Joint Capabilities, overseeing space, cyber and national support functions.
After enlisting as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987, Lieutenant General Coyle completed a Science degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduated from the Royal Military College in 1992 into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. She has since served across tactical, operational and strategic roles, including seeing service in Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East.
“It is an absolute honour to be selected as the 42nd Chief of Army,” Lieutenant General Coyle said.
“As I prepare to assume this next appointment, I do so with humility, a deep appreciation for the experiences I have been afforded, and an unwavering commitment to steward our people well.”
Lieutenant General Coyle, who also holds qualifications from the United States Army War College and is an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program, said her focus would remain on people and delivering on Defence’s mission.
“Like those who have gone before me, I will lead our soldiers and support our families so that Army continues to deliver on Defence’s mission,” she said.
Lieutenant General Coyle has a passion for supporting veterans and their families and is patron for the not-for-profit organisation 42 for 42.
