Jim Molan
Encyclopedia
Major General
Andrew James (Jim) Molan AO
, DSC
is a retired senior officer in the Australian Army
.
following completion of his schooling in Victoria. On graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon
, in 1971 he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps
. He has a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of New South Wales
and a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Queensland
. He is a graduate of the ADF School of Languages where he studied Indonesian. He maintains an interest in aviation and holds civil commercial licences and instrument ratings for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and is accredited as a Master Project Director (MPD).
Molan was the Commander of the Australian Defence College
, including
He served as the Army Attache in Jakarta
as a Colonel
between 1992 and 1994 and for this service he was awarded the Indonesian decoration Bintang Dharma Yudha Nararya in 1995. Between 1998 and 1999, Jim Molan was the Defence Attache in Jakarta as a Brigadier
and served in East Timor
. On the 25th March 2000 he was upgraded to Officer of the Order of Australia for his service in Indonesia
and in East Timor.Citation: For distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force as the Head of the Australian Defence Staff in Jakarta during the Indonesian and East Timor crisis.
In April 2004, he deployed for a year to Iraq as the Chief of Operations, Headquarters Multinational force in Iraq
(MNF-I) during continuous and intense combat operations. For distinguished command and leadership in this period, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
by the Australian GovernmentCitation: For distinguished service in command and leadership in action while serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff Civil Military Operations with Multi-National Force - Iraq from April 2004 to April 2005, during Operation CATALYST. and the Legion of Merit
by the United States Government.
Major General Molan retired in July 2008.
In an August 2008 speech, Molan stated that "Our military competence was far worse than even we thought before East Timor, and people may not realise that the military performance bar has been raised by the nature of current conflict, as illustrated in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Writing in a February 2009 article, Molan called for a doubling of the Australian military presence in Afghanistan, from about 1100 troops to 2000.
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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...
Andrew James (Jim) Molan 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"...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System...
is a retired senior officer in 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...
.
Education
"Jim" Molan joined the Australian ArmyAustralian 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...
following completion of his schooling in Victoria. On graduating from 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 1971 he was allocated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
The Royal Australian Infantry Corps is the parent corps for all infantry regiments of the Australian Army. It was established on 14 December 1948, with its Royal Corps status being conferred by His Majesty King George VI. At her coronation in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II became Colonel-in-Chief of the...
. He has a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
. He is a graduate of the ADF School of Languages where he studied Indonesian. He maintains an interest in aviation and holds civil commercial licences and instrument ratings for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and is accredited as a Master Project Director (MPD).
Military career
Molan has a long and active military career. Regimental postings include:- First Battalion, Pacific Island Regiment (Papua New Guinea) as a rifle platoon commander;
- Ninth Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, as Adjutant;
- Rifle company second-in-command and rifle company commander in the Third Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment;
- Commanding Officer of the Sixth Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment;Citation: For service to the Australian Army as Commanding Officer 6th Battalion, RAR.
- Commander of the Army's mechanized First Brigade
- Commander of the 1st Division and its Deployable Joint Force Headquarters.
Molan was the Commander of the Australian Defence College
Australian Defence College
The Australian Defence College comprises three tri-service educational organisations operated by the Australian Defence Force in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory:* the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies ,...
, including
- the Australian Defence Force AcademyAustralian Defence Force AcademyThe Australian Defence Force Academy is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force .Tertiary education is provided by the...
(ADFA - a joint undergraduate university), - the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC - a joint staff college for officers of Major equivalent rank) and
- the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies (CDSS - a course for civilians and officers of Colonel equivalent rank).
He served as the Army Attache in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
as a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
between 1992 and 1994 and for this service he was awarded the Indonesian decoration Bintang Dharma Yudha Nararya in 1995. Between 1998 and 1999, Jim Molan was the Defence Attache in Jakarta as a 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 served in East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
. On the 25th March 2000 he was upgraded to Officer of the Order of Australia for his service in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and in East Timor.Citation: For distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force as the Head of the Australian Defence Staff in Jakarta during the Indonesian and East Timor crisis.
In April 2004, he deployed for a year to Iraq as the Chief of Operations, Headquarters Multinational force in Iraq
Multinational force in Iraq
The Multi-National Force – Iraq was a military command, led by the United States, which was responsible for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Multi-National Force – Iraq replaced the previous force, Combined Joint Task Force 7, on 15 May 2004, and was later itself reorganized into its successor, United...
(MNF-I) during continuous and intense combat operations. For distinguished command and leadership in this period, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System...
by the Australian GovernmentCitation: For distinguished service in command and leadership in action while serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff Civil Military Operations with Multi-National Force - Iraq from April 2004 to April 2005, during Operation CATALYST. and the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
by the United States Government.
Major General Molan retired in July 2008.
Post-Military
In August 2008 Molan released his first book, Running the War in Iraq. The book concentrates on his experience as Chief of Operations in Iraq during 2004-2005, but contains some criticism about Australia's current capacity to engage in military conflict.In an August 2008 speech, Molan stated that "Our military competence was far worse than even we thought before East Timor, and people may not realise that the military performance bar has been raised by the nature of current conflict, as illustrated in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Writing in a February 2009 article, Molan called for a doubling of the Australian military presence in Afghanistan, from about 1100 troops to 2000.
Publications
Molan is frequently asked to express his opinion on matters related to his expertise, and to recount his experiences. The following is an incomplete list of his publications:| Date published | Type of contribution | Title | Publisher | Citation and link | Related Wiki page(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10-02 | Editorial opinion | "UN's bias binds Gaza" | The Australian | http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26152548-7583,00.html | United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict The United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, known as the Goldstone Report, was a team established in April 2009 by the United Nations Human Rights Council during the Gaza War as an independent international fact-finding mission to investigate alleged violations of international... |
Molan commented on Richard Goldstone's statements in the New York Times. |
| 2009-08-29 | Debate | "Afghanistan worth doing, even badly" | Lowy Institute for International Policy | http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2009/08/10/Afghanistan-worth-doing-even-badly.aspx | ||
| 2009-08 | Article | Australian Army Journal | http://www.defence.gov.au/Army/lwsc/docs/aaj_winter_2009.pdf | |||
| 2009-07-06 | Article | "Thoughts on operations in southern Afghanistan" | Lowy Institute for International Policy | http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2009/07/06/Thoughts-on-the-current-operations-in-southern-Afghanistan.aspx | ||
| 2009-02-17 | Article | "End the pussyfooting in Afghan war" | The Australian | http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25064111-7583,00.html | ||
| 2008-10-16 | Article | "How we must fight in Afghanistan" | Herald Sun | http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/how_we_must_fight_in_afghanistan | ||
| 2008-10-3 | Speech Interview |
"Running the war in Iraq: The nature of modern warfare and the new Defence White Paper" | Lowy Institute for International Policy | http://www.lowyinstitute.org/Publication.asp?pid=883 http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2008/09/08/5-minute-Lowy-lunch-MAJ-GEN-Jim-Molan.aspx |
What lessons does the Iraq conflict hold for Australia's new Defence White Paper? | |
| 2008-08-04 | Editorial opinion | "Australia's war unreadiness" | ABC | http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2321798.htm | ||
| 2008-07-21 | Interview | "Molan speaks about Iraq" | ABC | http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2008/s2310071.htm | ||
| 2008 | Book | "Running the War in Iraq" | Harper Collins | http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/9780732287818/Running_the_War_in_Iraq/index.aspx | The book concentrates on his experience as Chief of Operations in Iraq during 2004-2005. | |
| 2006 | Article | "Iraq Truisms: Five Truisms for the ADF out of Iraq" | ADF Journal | http://www.defence.gov.au/publications/dfj/dfj171a.pdf | ||
Personal
Molan is married with three daughters and a son. His wife's name is Anne. His preferred name is Jim.Honours and awards
| |
Officer of the Order of Australia 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"... (AO) |
(2000) |
| Member of the Order of Australia (AM) | (1992) | |
| Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System... (DSC) |
(awarded 2006) | |
| |
Australian Active Service Medal Australian Active Service Medal The Australian Active Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations... |
with "EAST TIMOR" and "IRAQ 2003" clasps |
| |
Iraq Medal Iraq Medal (Australia) The Iraq Medal was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in 2004. The Iraq Medal is awarded to Australian Defence Force personnel who served in or around Iraq after 18 March 2003... |
|
| |
Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 The Australian Service Medal 1945–1975 recognises service in peacekeeping or non-warlike operations in the 30-year period following World War II, and prior to February 1975. The medal was established on 22 February 1995... |
with "PNG" clasp |
| |
Defence Force Service Medal Defence Force Service Medal The Defence Force Service Medal is an Australian Military award given for long service by permanent members of the Australian Defence Force... |
with Federation Star (5th clasp) |
| |
Australian Defence Medal Australian Defence Medal The Australian Defence Medal is an Australian military decoration which recognises current and former Australian Defence Force personnel who completed an initial enlistment period, or four years service... |
|
| |
Papua New Guinea Independence Medal (PNG) | |
| |
Order of the Star of Yudha Dharma 3rd Class (Indonesia) | (Bintang Yudha Dharma Nararya) (1995) |
| Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... (United States) |
Officer (2004) |
External links
- Official photo (copyright)
- bio, Harper & Collins, www.harpercollins.com.au
- Kelly, Paul Start fighting for real, Paul Kelly Blog, 23 July 2008, The Australian. Accessed 2009-10-22.
- Devine, Miranda To gloat is to insult many brave Iraqis, 9 December 2006, The Sydney Morning Herald. Accessed 2009-10-22.
