Kathryn Toohey

Major General Kathryn Leslei Toohey, AM, CSC is a senior officer in the Australian Army. She served as Head of Land Capability from 2017 to 2019,[1] and was appointed Head Force Integration Division within the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Group in June 2019.

Kathryn Toohey
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1987–present
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Force Integration Division Head Land Capability Director-General Integrated Capability Development
Battles/wars	United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia
Awards	Member of the Order of Australia Conspicuous Service Cross
Other work	Deputy Electoral Commissioner, AEC (2016)

Army career

Toohey entered the Australian Defence Force Academy as an Australian Army officer cadet in 1987.[2] She graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the affiliated University of New South Wales (UNSW) and, following further training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in 1990. She completed an Honours degree at UNSW in 1991,[3][4] before receiving her first posting as a troop commander with the 2nd Signals Regiment.[1]

Toohey has also had postings in the 7th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare), 1st Brigade Headquarters, in the Strategic Operations Division of Headquarters Northern Command, and 13 months as a troop commander in the Force Communications Unit as part of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. She has served in staff appointments in the Capability Development Group (CDG) and its successor Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) and in Force Development Group. Toohey was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours for her role in the development of Military Satellite Communications.[5] In 2009, she served as the European Liaison Officer for CDG, representing the Australian Defence Force at multinational, NATO and European Union fora. In 2012, Toohey was director of the Capability and Technology Management College.[1]

Toohey took leave from the army in 2016 to assume the statutory appointment of Deputy Electoral Commissioner in the Australian Electoral Commission.[6] Upon her return to the army in 2017, she was promoted to the rank of major general and appointed as the Head of Land Capability.[1]

Toohey was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours for "exceptional service to the Australian Defence Force in the fields of capability development and education."[7] She relinquished command of Land Capability in June 2019 and was appointed Head Force Integration Division within the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Group.[3]

References

1. "Head Land Capability: Major General Kathryn Toohey, CSC". Australian Army. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
2. "Kathryn Toohey: Championing Future Defence Capability". Department of Defence. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
3. "Head Force Integration: Major General Kathryn Toohey, AM, CSC". Department of Defence. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
4. "Profiles and Stories: Major General Kathryn Toohey". University of New South Wales, Canberra. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
5. "Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) entry for TOOHEY, Kathryn Leslei". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2017. For outstanding achievement as the Deputy Director Communications, Capability Development Group in the development of Military Satellite Communications
6. "Army expert called in to help run election". The Weekend Australian. AAP. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
7. Governor-General of Australia (12 June 2017). "QB17 - Gazette Order of Australia" (PDF). Retrieved 13 June 2017.

Military offices
Preceded by Air Vice Marshal Stephen Meredith	Head Force Integration Division 2019–present	Incumbent