Angus Campbell

General Angus John Campbell is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army, who served as the Chief of the Defence Force from 6 July 2018 until 10 July 2024. He was previously posted as Commander Operation Sovereign Borders from September 2013 until he was appointed Chief of Army in May 2015.

Military career Campbell attended St Gregory's College, Campbelltown before entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1981, receiving a commission as an infantry lieutenant in 1984. Initially assigned to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment as a platoon commander, he later passed selection for the Special Air Service Regiment, with which he served as troop and squadron commander. Campbell commanded the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in East Timor as part of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), for which was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2003.

Campbell served as Chief of Staff to General Peter Cosgrove and later Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston during their respective tenures as Chief of the Defence Force. In 2005, he left the full-time army and assumed a senior civilian appointment as First Assistant Secretary in the Office of National Security within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Campbell was later promoted to Deputy Secretary, and served as Deputy National Security Adviser for a period before returning to the army in 2010. He was appointed the Deputy Chief of Army in February 2012.

On 16 April 2018, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Campbell would be promoted to general and succeed Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin as Chief of the Defence Force. The change of command occurred on 6 July. In the meantime, one of Campbell's last acts as the Chief of Army was to order the removal of "death imagery" from patches and badges.

On 19 November 2020 the Brereton Report was publicly released following a four-year investigation into alleged Australian war crimes by special forces units whom were taking part in the War in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2016. On that same day Campbell announced at a press conference that the 2 Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment would be disbanded and struck from the army's order of battle. He also apologised for "any wrong doing by Australian soldiers" and said a "distorted culture" existed in the Australian Defence Force.

In June 2022, Campbell's tenure as Chief of the Defence Force was extended for a further two years.

In late November 2022, Campbell gave officers of Captain to Brigadier rank "28 days to prove their service in the Afghanistan war was distinguished". Up to 3,000 Australian Defence Force members are potentially facing having their medals revoked. At the time of the most serious allegations in 2012, Campbell was serving as the Commander Joint Task Force 633, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

On 3 July 2024, a senate inquiry was launched to look into the awarding criteria of defence honours and awards, and more specifically the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Campbell in 2012.

Post military career Angus Campbell presenting his credentials as ambassador to Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa. On 17 January 2025, Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs announced Campbell's appointment as the Ambassador of Australia to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In August 2026, The Australian reported that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had ceased using the Distinguished Service Cross post-nominal “DSC” in Campbell's official diplomatic biography. The reference to his Distinguished Service Cross was subsequently removed from his official DFAT profile, although Campbell retained the decoration.

Childhood and personal life Campbell lived in Papua New Guinea as a child.

He is married to Stephanie Copus-Campbell, a former AusAID official and the current Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality. She is the lead advocate for Australia's work on gender equality across all aspects of foreign policy.

Honours and awards

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)12 June 2017 – "For distinguished service as Head Military Strategic Commitments, Deputy Chief of Army, and Chief of Army" Member of the Order of Australia (AM)26 January 2003 – "For exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force as the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion Group during operational service in East Timor" Distinguished Service Order (Military) (Singapore)29 April 2022 – "For significant contributions towards strengthening defence ties between the Australian Army and The Singapore Army" Meritorious Service Medal (Military) (Singapore)14 September 2017 – "For significant contributions towards strengthening defence ties between the Australian Army and The Singapore Army"