Rear Admiral Mark Campbell, CSC, RAN (Ret’d) was a Helicopter Warfare Instructor with substantial aviation, command, acquisition and sustainment experience.
He has about 3,500 flying hours mainly as an anti-submarine tactical co-ordinator in Sea King and Seahawk helicopters. He has also flown S2-G Tracker, UH-1B Iroquois, Wessex 31B, Bell 206B-1, and AS350B Squirrel aircraft and served in HMA Ships Tobruk, Sydney, Darwin and Adelaide as well as HM Ships Illustrious and Invincible whilst on exchange with the Royal Navy. He commanded 816 Squadron 1999 – 2000 and has led several Defence Material Organisation units including an appointment as the Head of Helicopter Systems Division 2010 – 2012.
Operational deployments have included Operation Bursa, Operation Damask including Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 – 91 and in the North Red Sea enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq in 1992.
He has a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from Deakin University.
A keen sportsman, Admiral Campbell has toured New Zealand, England and South East Asia with the ADF cricket teams, as well as representing the Navy in soccer and tennis. He enjoys mountain biking, bush walking, and reading military history.
Rear Admiral Campbell was appointed Head Navy Capability from October 2012 to January 2015. He discharged from the Navy in late March 2015 after a long and distinguished career, and has agreed to replace Geoff Ledger as our National President effective from September 2016.
Mark Campbell and his wife Sally have three adult sons. He lives in Canberra, ACT and is expecting to do occasional Reserve work in the ADF.
