Brigadier “Jake” Ellwood DSC has been appointed replacing Brigadier Chris Field who is now the 3 Brigade Commander.
Brigadier Justin (Jake) Ellwood graduated to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1990. He has since served in a number of Regimental appointments within 2/4 RAR and 5/7 RAR.
His instructional postings have included appointments as Training Officer, Deakin University Company and Field Training and Tactics Instructor at RMC.
He was posted to Germany in 1998 on a two-year exchange with the Irish Guards, during which time he served as 21C of an armoured infantry company.
In 1999 he saw operational service with the King’s Royal Hussars Battle Group in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo during the air campaign and land deployment respectively. He was awarded a Commander British Forces Commendation in recognition of his service.
He commanded B Coy, 5/7 RAR on operations in East Timor in 2000.
After completing Australian Command and Staff College, LT COL Ellwood served as the Brigade Major of the 1st Brigade for which he received a Divisional Commander’s Commendation.
He subsequently served as the Director Reserves-Army at AHQ prior to assuming command of 5 RAR. This occurred at the unlinking ceremony of 5/7 RAR on 3 December 2006.
He commanded the third rotation of the Overwatch Battle Group (West – OBG(W)-3) on operations in southern Iraq in 2007. OBG(W)-3 was a combined infantry/armour battlegroup consisting primarily of subunits from 5 RAR and 2 Cavalry Regiment.
He also commanded the fifth rotation of the Timor Leste Battle Group (TLBG 5) in East Timor in 2008 prior to handing over command of the Battalion to LTCOL Huxley in East Timor on 31 December 2008. He handed over command of 5 RAR during his second operational tour as CO 5 RAR.”
In 2009, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for distinguished command & leadership in action as the Commander of Rotation Three of the Overwatch Battle Group-West during Op Catalyst In Iraq. This was mainly the 5 RAR Battle Group Tiger that he commanded
His recent appointments include:
18 Jan 2009 – LO (MCCDC) Washington, USA
16 Jan 2010 – COMD CTC
19 Jan 14 – Sudent ADC
30 Sep 15 – J3 HQ ISAF
14 Jan 16 – Chief of Staff FORCOMD (HOC RAINF & REGT COL RAR)
