Michael Noonan (admiral)

Vice Admiral Michael Joseph Noonan, AO (born 13 December 1966) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of Navy from 6 July 2018 to 6 July 2022. He previously served as Commander Border Protection Command from 2013 to 2015 and Deputy Chief of Navy from 2016 to 2018.

Michael Joseph Noonan
Vice Admiral Noonan in 2020
Born (1966-12-13) 13 December 1966
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branchRoyal Australian Navy
Years of service1984–2022
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldChief of Navy (2018–22)
Deputy Chief of Navy (2016–18)
Border Protection Command (2013–16)
HMAS Parramatta (2003–05)
Battles/warsInternational Force for East Timor
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Operation Resolute
AwardsOfficer of the Order of Australia
Commendation for Distinguished Service (2)
Knight of the Legion of Honour (France)
Commander of the Order of Naval Merit (Chile)
Grand Cross of the Order of Naval Merit (Peru)
Navy Meritorious Service Star (Indonesia)
Meritorious Service Medal (Singapore)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

Early life

Noonan was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 13 December 1966 to Michael Joseph Noonan and his wife Valerie Jean (née Maskell). He was educated at Miami and Keebra Park State High Schools on the Queensland Gold Coast. Noonan holds postgraduate qualifications in Business Administration, Maritime Policy, Marketing Communications and International Relations from the Queensland University of Technology, Universities of Wollongong and Canberra, and Salve Regina University, respectively. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.[1]

Noonan married Jan in 17 December 1994.[1] Jan Noonan is also a captain in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and was the first woman to command an Australian vessel on active service, leading HMAS Labuan on operations in East Timor in 2000.[2][3][4] The couple have two daughters.[1]

Noonan joined the RAN as a midshipman in 1984.[1] He was the commissioning commanding officer of HMAS Parramatta, commanding her from 2003.[5] He became Director of Sailor's Career Management in 2006, Chief of Staff in Headquarters Joint Task Force 633 in 2008 and Commodore Training (COMTRAIN) for the Royal Australian Navy and the Director-General of Operations at the Headquarters Joint Operations Command in 2009.[5]

Noonan was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service on two occasions, and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2012.[6][7][8]

Noonan went on to be Commander Border Protection Command in 2013 and Deputy Chief of Navy in 2016.[5] On 16 April 2018, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Noonan would succeed Vice Admiral Tim Barrett as Chief of Navy. Noonan was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Chief of Navy on 6 July 2018.[9]

Noonan was advanced to an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours.[10]

On 6 January 2022 he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Singapore's Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen. [11]

On 23 June 2022 he used his senior position to allow his civilian girlfriend to board HMAS Waller where he proposed and they spent the night together in what was dubbed the "Love sub." Waller was involved with filming for an upcoming recruitment drive for the Australian Defence Force. Five days after the incident, it was announced that he was being replaced as the Chief of Navy, he retired in September 2022.[12]

References
  1. "Rear Admiral Michael Joseph Noonan". Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  2. Peterson, Myles (27 April 2018). "Distinguished Career". Shepparton News. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  3. Tydd, Michele. "In Ascendance". UOW Outlook Magazine. University of Wollongong. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  4. "Lieutenant Commander Jan Noonan, CSC". Australian Women's History Forum. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  5. "Rear Admiral Michael Joseph Noonan". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  6. Commendation for Distinguished Service – 9 June 2003 Citation: For distinguished performance of duty as the Chief of Staff to the Australian National Command Headquarters in the Middle East during Operation SLIPPER.
  7. Commendation for Distinguished Service – 26 January 2010 Citation: For distinguished performance of duties in warlike operations as the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Joint Task Force 633, Middle East Area of Operations from September 2008 to March 2009.
  8. Member of the Order of Australia – 11 June 2012 Citation: For exceptional performance of duty and leadership as Director General Operations, Headquarters Joint Operations Command and as Director Military Strategic Commitments.
  9. Greene, Andrew (16 April 2018). "Angus Campbell will be Australia's next Chief of Defence". ABC News. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. "NOONAN, Michael Joseph". It's An Honour. Australian Government. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  11. "Vice Admiral (VADM) Michael Noonan, who was conferred the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera): 6 January 2022". Facebook.
  12. "Ex-Navy chief criticised for using a military submarine ride to propose". The Daily Telegraph.
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