Mike Hindmarsh

Major General Michael Simon Hindmarsh AO, DSC, CSC
Born	1956 Kilcoy, Queensland
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1976 – 2009
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations Special Operations Command Special Air Service Regiment
Battles/wars	Operation Pollard War in Afghanistan Operation Slipper Iraq War Operation Bastille Operation Falconer
Awards	Officer of the Order of Australia Distinguished Service Cross Conspicuous Service Cross

Major General Michael Simon "Mike" Hindmarsh AO, DSC, CSC was a senior officer in the Australian Army. Hindmarsh served as Special Operations Commander Australia from 2004 to 2008, and Commander of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations from March 2008 to January 2009.

Military career

Mike Hindmarsh entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1976, graduating into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1978.^[1]

He saw regimental service as a Platoon Commander with the 2nd/4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and as a Troop Commander, Squadron Commander and Commanding Officer with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). Other appointments included: SO3 Operations at HQ Land Command; SO2 Training at HQ UK Special Forces; SO1 Operations at HQ Special Forces; and Brigade level tactics instructor at the Land Warfare Centre.^[2]

As Commanding Officer of the SASR, he commanded the ANZAC Special Operations Force detachment to Operation Pollard in Kuwait during 1998.^[3] Hindmarsh was later appointed to command the Special Operations Component on Operation Bastille and Operation Falconer in the Iraq War. He was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his distinguished leadership in this position.^[4]

He served as the Australian Special Operations Commander from October 2004 to February 2008. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours of 2008 for his distinguished service in that position.^[5]

Hindmarsh assumed command of Australian Forces in the Middle East Area of Operations in an official ceremony on 1 March 2008; he succeeded Major General Mark Evans in this position. His tour ended on 12 January 2009, at which time he was succeeded by Major General Mark Andrew Kelly. For his "distinguished command and leadership in action in the Middle East", Hindmarsh was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.^[6]

From March 2009, Hindmarsh assumed command of Army Training Command at Victoria Barracks, Sydney.

Retirement

Hindmarsh retired from the Australian Army in later half of 2009.^[2]

Personal

Hindmarsh is a graduate of the Army Command and Staff College, Queenscliff, the Joint Services Command and Staff College and the United Kingdom Royal College of Defence Studies. He is married and has three sons. He enjoys rock climbing, bush walking and rugby union.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} ADF Biography, retrieved 2008-09-26.
2. ^ ^{a b} Newsletter, September 2009, Royal United Services Institute, Western Australian Branch. Retrieved on 2009-09-17.
3. ^ Conspicuous Service Cross, 14 June 1999, It's an honour.gov.au, Retrieved on 2009-09-09.
4. ^ Commonwealth of Australia Gazette - Member of the Order of Australia; 27 November 2003, page 1
5. ^ Commonwealth of Australia Gazette - Officer of the Order of Australia; 28 January 2008, page 3 - retrieved 2008-09-26.
6. ^ "Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)". The Queen's Birthday 2009 Honours List. Governor-General of Australia. http://www.gg.gov.au/res/File/PDFs/honours/qb09/Media%20Notes%20DSC%20(final).pdf. Retrieved 8 June 2009. 

External links

• Official photo (copyright)
• "Always being ahead of the enemy", Australian Defence Magazine Feature, November 2004

Military offices
Preceded by Major General Mark Evans	Commander of Australian Forces in Middle East Area of Operations March 2008 – January 2009	Succeeded by Major General Mark Kelly
Preceded by Major General Duncan Lewis	Special Operations Commander 2004 – 2008	Succeeded by Major General Tim McOwan

Persondata
Name	Hindmarsh, Mike
Alternative names	Hindmarsh, Michael Simon
Short description	Senior officer in the Australian Army
Date of birth	1956
Place of birth	Kilcoy, Queensland
Date of death
Place of death