Brigadier Lyn McDade is a 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...

, currently holding the position of Director of Military Prosecutions. She has recently been the centre of widespread media attention within Australia due to charges against three former members of the Special Operations Task Group deployed to Afghanistan.

Military career

Lyn McDade has spent 23 years in Army and Army Reserves. In 2006, while a Lieutenant Colonel, Lyn McDade she was appointed the Director of Military Prosecutions, the Australian Defence Forces highest ranking prosecutor. This office came with the rank of Brigadier and she was initially appointed to the office for a 5 year period.

On 27 September 2010, McDade announced that manslaughter charges were being brought against members of the 1st Commando Regiment for an incident that occurred in Afghanistan during a raid on 12 February 2009. The raid resulted in six deaths and four injuries and was subject to an investigation by the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service

Australian Defence Force Investigative Service

The Australian Defence Force Investigative Service is the body responsible for complex and major investigations involving the Australian Defence Force. The ADFIS conducts investigations of serious incidents and crimes involving persons subject to Defence Force Discipline Act jurisdiction...

. Other charges brought against ADF personnel were; dangerous conduct, failing to comply with a lawful general order and prejudicial conduct. Due to the serious nature of the charges, the first of this magnitude for soldiers of this generation the Australian media has covered this story. The coverage of this story has ranged from concerns about disunity within the Army to political commentary from the Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Julia Gillard

Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...

 and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...

.

Public career

While an Army Reservist Lyn McDade worked for the Northern Territory government as a Civil and Police Prosecutor, Deputy Coroner and Relieving Magistrate. She has also practiced as a Barrister-at-Law.