David Thomae
Biography
Major General David Thomae assumed command of the 2nd Division on 17 July 2021 and Joint Task Force 629 on 10 December 2021.
He joined the Australian 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, The Royal Queensland Regiment culminating with command of the 9th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment.
Major General Thomae’s senior leadership roles as a Brigadier have included Commander Joint Task Group 629.3, Commander 11th Brigade and as the Adjutant General – Army. As a Colonel, he served on Headquarters 1st Division, as Director of Studies (Reserves), Australian Command and Staff College and as Assistant Commander (Training), 11th Brigade.
His operational experience includes being a military observer with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Lebanon and Syria in 1998; as a rifle company commander in the 6th Battalion Battle Group with the United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor in 2000; and as Senior Military Advisor to the Special Representative to the Secretary General, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq in 2011. Recently, as Commander Joint Task Force 629 he led the Australian Defence Force (ADF) responses in Operation COVID19 Assist; Operation Flood Assist 22-1, 22-2 and 22-3, where at their peak over 7,000 ADF personnel were force assigned to JTF 629.
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 senior defence appointments. 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 whilst an instructor at the School of Infantry.
From 2003 until his appointment as Commander 2nd Division, he was a commercial barrister practicing at the Queensland Bar; from January 2018 he was a Senior Member (part time) of the Veterans’ Review Board, the statutory tribunal reviewing decisions of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He is a nationally accredited mediator.
Major General Thomae is married to Nicole, a global knowledge manager. They have three children. He enjoys sailing, cycling and golf in his free time.
