Peter Leahy



Lieutenant General Peter Francis Leahy AC (born 1952) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army, whose military career culminated with his appointment as Chief of the Army from 2002 until 2008.

Military career
Peter Leahy was born in Melbourne on 30 October 1952. He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1971 and graduated in 1974. His early career included instructional duties at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea and command of a company of Gurkha soldiers during an exchange posting with 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles in Hong Kong. Over a three-year period he was a student and an instructor at the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Later in his career he was the Commanding Officer of the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, Military Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff, Director of Army Research and Analysis, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, Chief of Staff of Headquarters Australian Theatre and Deputy Chief of Army. He was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Army on 28 June 2002. He was reappointed for a further three years on 29 June 2005. He is also the longest serving incumbent of the position since General Sir Harry Chauvel in the 1920s.

In 1995, Leahy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), and in 2002 was upgraded to Officer (AO). In the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours List, he was elevated to Companion (AC), Australia's highest civil honour.

Post military
On 19 September 2008, Leahy joined the board of Codan. On 7 October 2008, he joined the staff of the University of Canberra as a Professor and foundation director of the National Security Institute. On 4 May 2009 he joined the board of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd. He is a member of the Defence SA Advisory Board, a Director of the Kokoda Foundation, Chairman of the Board for wounded veterans charity Soldier On, and serves on the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Committee in the Australian Capital Territory.

Qualifications

 * Bachelor of Arts in Military Studies, University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy
 * Master of Military Arts and Science (MMAS), United States Army Command and General Staff College
 * Fellow, Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies
 * Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors
 * Graduate, Australian Army Command and Staff College
 * Graduate, Higher Command and Staff Course
 * Graduate, United States Army Command and General Staff College

Personal
Peter Leahy is married to Lee and they have three sons. He enjoys most sports and reading.