The former Commander 11th Brigade has recently been appointed to Command the 2nd Division

Major General David Thomae assumed command of the 2nd Division on 17 July 2021.

Major General Thomae joined the Army in 1985, graduating from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1988 to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. His regimental service has been with the 2nd/4th Battalion and 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australian Regiment, 25th Battalion and 9th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment, which he commanded in 2007-08.

Major General Thomae’s senior leadership roles have been as Commander Joint Task Group 629.3, Commander 11th Brigade and immediately prior as the Adjutant General – Army. As a Colonel, he served as Colonel Projects Headquarters 1st Division, Director of Studies (Reserves), Australian Command and Staff College and Assistant Commander Training, 11th Brigade.

His operational experience includes being a military observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Lebanon and Syria, rifle company commander in the 6th Battalion Battle Group with the United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor and as Senior Military Advisor to the Special Representative to the Secretary General, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. Recently he was Commander Joint Task Group 629.3 as part of Operation COVID19 ASSIST, the task group supporting the Australian Defence Force’s response to the COVID19 pandemic.

In addition to his command and senior leadership roles, Major General Thomae gained broad experience across Army in a range of staff, training and representational duties, including as an instructor at the School of Infantry and the Queensland University Regiment, Aide de Camp to General Officer Commanding Training Command, as an operations and plans officer at Headquarters 1st Division and as a staff officer with the Directorate of Reserve Soldier Career Management.

Major General Thomae is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Laws from the Queensland University of Technology, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Queensland, and a Master of International Relations from the University of Queensland. He has completed the Joint Task Force Commander Course conducted by Joint Operations Command.

In 2021 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his command and leadership in the senior appointments of Adjutant General – Army, Commander 11th Brigade and Commander Joint Task Group 629.3. Additionally, he was awarded a Chief of Defence Force Commendation for his leadership as a company commander in East Timor and a General Officer Commanding Commendation for his leadership as an instructor at the School of Infantry.

Since 2003, he has been a commercial barrister practicing at the Queensland Bar. He is a nationally accredited mediator and is a member of the Bar Association of Queensland’s, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. In January 2018, he was appointed as a Senior Member (part time) to the Veterans’ Review Board, the statutory tribunal reviewing decisions of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Major General Thomae is married to Nicole, a global knowledge manager for EY. They have three children. He enjoys cycling, sailing and golf in his free time.

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