Lieutenant General John Frewen, AO, DSC, is a recently retired senior officer with over four decades of service in the Australian Defence Force. A third-generation army officer, he graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1986 and began his career as an Infantry Platoon Commander.

General Frewen held numerous command positions, including leading the Second Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, the Army’s 1st Brigade in Darwin, and, in 2017, all Australian Forces in the Middle East. His operational service spanned multiple countries, including Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Afghanistan, and Iraq, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership in complex international environments.

His expertise extends beyond traditional military roles. He served as Principal Deputy Director General of the Australian Signals Directorate and led the Department of Defence’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he was appointed by the Prime Minister as Coordinator General of the National COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, achieving one of the world’s highest vaccination rates.

His final role in Defence was Chief of Joint Capabilities, overseeing the ADF Space and Cyber forces and Joint Logistics Command. During his tenure, all ADF space and cyber capabilities were consolidated for the first time, acknowledging the importance of these emergent warfighting domains.