Tim McOwan

Timothy Joseph McOwan
Born	Ararat, Victoria
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1976 – Present (40 years)
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Special Operations Command Australia Special Air Service Regiment
Battles/wars	Operation Mazurka Operation Pollard Operation Gold International Force for East Timor Operation Spitfire Operation Warden War in Afghanistan Operation Slipper Iraq War Operation Falconer
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia Distinguished Service Cross Conspicuous Service Medal

Major General Timothy Joseph "Tim" McOwan AO, DSC, CSM is a senior officer in the Australian Army. He served as Special Operations Commander Australia from February 2008 until January 2011, and is currently posted as Australian Defence Attaché and Head Australian Defence Staff in Washington D.C..

Service history

Tim McOwan enlisted in the Australian Army in 1976, and gained his commission via the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1980.

McOwan served in regimental appointments with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). His service with 1RAR included an attachment to the Rifle Company Butterworth, in Malaysia while his service with the SAS included a two-year secondment to the headquarters commanding the British Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service.

Whilst in SASR he served as a Vehicle Mounted Troop Commander, a Counter Terrorist Troop Commander, an Operations Officer and Adjutant. He also commanded SAS Operations Support Squadron, between 1990 and 1991. In 1992 McOwan attended the Army Command and Staff College at Fort Queenscliff, following which he served in staff appointments within the Directorate of Operational Support in Army Headquarters.

In 1994 he was then appointed as Commander Australian Service Contingent Operation Mazurka, with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), Sinai,^[1][2] Egypt where he served as the Force Assistant Chief of Staff.

1998 saw McOwan attended the U.K. Joint Services Command and Staff College before being deployed to the Persian Gulf on Operation Pollard as a member of the United States Central Command led Coalition Headquarters.

McOwan assumed command of the Special Air Service Regiment in 1999, holding that position until 2001. During his time as Commanding Officer, McOwan commanded Joint Task Force 504 during Operation Spitfire, the Special Operations Component of International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) during Operation Warden, and Joint Task Force 643 during Operation Gold, the ADF Counter Terrorism support to the Sydney Olympics.

During 2001 McOwan was appointed the Chief Staff Officer Plans in Joint Operations Command. In this capacity he was responsible for operational planning for Australia’s commitment to the War On Terror, Operation Slipper in Afghanistan and Operation Falconer in Iraq, as well as numerous other ADF operations.

In 2004 he became the Director Strategy and International Engagement in Army Headquarters, before assuming the appointment of Deputy Special Operations Commander, Australia.

In January 2006 he was appointed the Chief of Defence Force Liaison Officer to the Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff in The Pentagon, Washington DC. This appointment saw him responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force for liaison between the US Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force in the areas of operations, strategic plans and intelligence.

McOwan assumed the appointment of Special Operations Commander Australia in February 2008;^[3] he relinquished this post in January 2011. He currently serves as Australian Defence Attaché and Head Australian Defence Staff in Washington D.C.. In the Australia Day Honours List of 2012, McOwan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his "substantial contribution to the capabilities, operational successes and international reputation of Australia’s Special Forces".^[4]

Personal

McOwan's academic achievements include a Bachelor of Arts (Military Studies), a Graduate Diploma in Management, a Graduate Diploma in Defence Studies, a Masters in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.

Tim McOwan is married, and has two children.^[5]

Honours and awards

	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	Awarded Australia Day 2012 Honours List[6]
	Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)	Awarded for Operation Warden[7]
	Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM)	Awarded for Operation Mazurka
	Australian Active Service Medal	With "EAST TIMOR" clasp
	International Force East Timor Medal
	Afghanistan Medal
	Australian Service Medal	With "SINAI", "IRAQ" & "EAST TIMOR" clasps
	Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps	35–39 years service
	Australian Defence Medal
	Multinational Force and Observers Medal	With "2" award numeral
	Army Commendation Medal (United States)	2013
	Meritorious Unit Citation with Federation Star	Awarded to 3 Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment[8]

References

1. Australian Army official Operation Mazurka site, see chronology
2. Australian Operation Mazurka Contingent hit and run incident 1994 also see Chronology August 1994 at Multinational Force and Observers
3. New Special Operations Commander appointed, Ministerial announcement MIN7/08, Minister for Defence, 13 Feb 2008. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
4. "Officer (AO) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). Australia Day 2012 Honours Lists. Website of the Governor-General of Australia. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
5. ADF Biography
6. 2012 Australia Day Honours List – Officer of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2012
   Citation: For distinguished service to the Australian Army in the fields of operations and Special Forces, particularly as Special Operations Commander Australia.
7. It's an Honour – Distinguished Service Cross – 25 March 2000
   Citation: For distinguished command and leadership as the Commanding Officer of the Response Force Component, and as Special Operations Component Commander at the Headquarters of the International Force East Timor of the 3rd Brigade during Operation WARDEN in East Timor.
8. It's an Honour – Meritorious Unit Citation, 3 SQN SASR – 25 March 2000
   Citation: For sustained outstanding service in warlike operations of the Special Air Service Regiment of the Response Force for Operation WARDEN.

External links

• Special Forces entry
• The Ararat Advertiser – Army Promotion
• Official photo (copyright)
• Anzac Day story with photo and reference to General McOwan's MFO service – click on story with Yasser Arafat photo