Bruce Kafer

Commodore Bruce Kafer  is the current Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy, a position he has held since December 2009.

Naval career
Born in Newcastle, Australia, Kafer was admitted to the RAN College, Jervis Bay as a Cadet Midshipman in 1977. He subsequently trained on USS Chicago (CA-136), HMAS Supply, HMAS Moresby (1963) and HMAS Swan (DE 50) before, in 1982, specialising as a Hydrographic Surveyor. As such, he served primarily aboard the survey ships HMAS Flinders and Moresby.

In 1986, he began an exchange with the Royal Navy, including senior Hydrographic Officer posts aboard HMS Fawn (A325) and HMS Herald (H138), which included time spent in the Persian Gulf as part as British anti-mine efforts in the Iran-Iraq War.

Returning to Australia in 1992, he took up command of HMAS Flinders, and in 1994 was appointed as a Director of the RAN Staff College. After another period as a Hydrographic Officer, in 1997 he took command of HMAS Leeuwin (A 245) upon its commission into the RAN. Late in 2000, he returned to the Australian Hydrographic Office to begin a four-year appointment as Commander of the RAN Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Force Element Group.

He later served as Chief of the Combat Support Group at RAN Headquarters and then returned to Iraq to begin an appointment as Commander Task Forces 152 and 158, coalition maritime task forces which were responsible for security and interception operations in the Gulf.

In December 2009 he assumed duties as Commandant, Australian Defence Force Academy.

Personal life
Commodore Kafer and his wife, Geraldine, have two adult sons.

Honours and awards