Desmond Mueller
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Desmond Maurice "Des" Mueller AO
(born 25 July 1943) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army
. He served as Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force
from June 2000 until his retirement in July 2002.
Mueller was born in Adelaide
and enrolled in the Royal Military College, Duntroon
in 1961, graduating in 1964. He served with the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. Following a gunnery staff course at the School of Artillery
in the United Kingdom
, he held various appointments as Instructor-in-Gunnery, Adjutant, Battery Commander and Commanding Officer of the School of Artillery.
In 1989 Mueller was promoted to brigadier
and became Director General of Army Development. In 1990 he became the Director General Force Development (Land), responsibility for the development of land forces capability. In 1994, he was promoted to major general
and appointed General Officer Commanding Logistic Command. Following the merger of logistics management for all three services (Navy
, Army
and Air Force
), Mueller was appointed the first Commander Support Australia. In 2000, he was promoted to lieutenant general
and became the Vice Chief of the Defence Force.
Mueller was awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1993, and was elevated to Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1998.
Following retirement from the Army, Mueller continued a career in consulting, management and academia, serving as an adjunct professor at Monash
and Latrobe universities.
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
Desmond Maurice "Des" Mueller AO
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 25 July 1943) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. He served as Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force
Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
The Vice Chief of the Defence Force is the military deputy to the Chief of the Defence Force of Australia, and acts as the CDF in his absence under standing acting arrangements....
from June 2000 until his retirement in July 2002.
Mueller was born in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and enrolled in the Royal Military College, Duntroon
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
in 1961, graduating in 1964. He served with the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. Following a gunnery staff course at the School of Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he held various appointments as Instructor-in-Gunnery, Adjutant, Battery Commander and Commanding Officer of the School of Artillery.
In 1989 Mueller was promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
and became Director General of Army Development. In 1990 he became the Director General Force Development (Land), responsibility for the development of land forces capability. In 1994, he was promoted to major general
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
and appointed General Officer Commanding Logistic Command. Following the merger of logistics management for all three services (Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
, Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
), Mueller was appointed the first Commander Support Australia. In 2000, he was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
and became the Vice Chief of the Defence Force.
Mueller was awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1993, and was elevated to Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1998.
Following retirement from the Army, Mueller continued a career in consulting, management and academia, serving as an adjunct professor at Monash
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
and Latrobe universities.