Commander's Biography

Major Gerry McGowan was born in Adelaide in 1972 and attended St Ignatius College Athelstone. He enlisted in the Regular Army in 1989 and spent the next six years in Infantry and Artillery.

Following graduation from the Royal Military College Duntroon in June 1998, Major McGowan was posted to the 1st Armoured Regiment and served in Troop Leading and staff appointments. Late in 1999 he was attached to Headquarters Northern Command as the Military Liaison to US and Italian forces, and deployed briefly to East Timor. In December 2000, Major McGowan was posted to the Recruit Training Battalion and served as a Recruit Platoon Commander and the acting Adjutant.

In 2002, Major McGowan was appointed as the Adjutant Queensland University Regiment and during this tenure was deployed to Bougainville as a Patrol Commander, responsible for the collection and disposal of weapons. In 2004 he was posted to the Royal Military College Duntroon, where he was employed as a I Class instructor and the Officer Commanding of Gallipoli Company.

In 2006, Major McGowan was appointed as the Adjutant of the 1st Armoured Regiment and in 2007 was deployed to Op Paladin, Australia's contribution to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation and served in Syria, Southern Lebanon and Jerusalem. He assumed his appointment as OC B Squadron in February 2008.

Major McGowan was married to Natalie, a chartered accountant, in December 2006. They are both ardent Brumbies fans and enjoy road cycling, rugby and the good life. Natalie is currently working in London, on her version of an overseas deployment.