| Australian Army | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1 March 1901 |
| Country |  Australia |
| Branch | Army |
| Role | Land warfare |
| Size | 28,524 (Regular) 15,711 (Active Reserve)[1] |
| Part of | Australian Defence Force |
| March | "The Army March" |
| Engagements | |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of the Defence Force | Admiral David Johnston |
| Chief of Army | Lieutenant General Simon Stuart |
| Deputy Chief of Army | Major General Chris Smith |
| Commander Forces Command | Major General Susan Coyle |
| Insignia | |
| Australian Army flag |  |
| Roundel (aviation) |  |
| Roundel (armoured vehicles) |  |
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), who is subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) who commands the ADF. The CA is also directly responsible to the Minister for Defence, with the Department of Defence administering the ADF and the Army.[3]
Formed in 1901, as the Commonwealth Military Forces, through the amalgamation of the colonial forces of Australia following the Federation of Australia. Although Australian soldiers have been involved in a number of minor and major conflicts throughout Australia's history, only during the Second World War has Australian territory come under direct attack.
The Australian Army was initially composed almost completely of part-time soldiers, where the vast majority were in units of the Citizens Military Force (CMF or Militia) (1901–1980) during peacetime, with limits set on the regular Army. Since all reservists were barred from forcibly serving overseas, volunteer expeditionary forces (1st AIF, ANMEF, 2nd AIF) were formed to enable the Army to send large numbers of soldiers to serve overseas during periods of war.[4][5] This period lasted from federation until post-1947, when a standing peacetime regular army was formed and the Australian Army Reserve (1980–present) began to decline in importance.[6][5]
During its history, the Australian Army has fought in a number of major wars, including the Second Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, Vietnam War,[7] the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the Iraq War.[8] Since 1947, the Australian Army has also been involved in many peacekeeping operations, usually under the auspices of the United Nations. Today, it participates in multilateral and unilateral military exercises and provides emergency disaster relief and humanitarian aid in response to domestic and international crises.
- ^ Commonwealth of Australia (2023). "Department of Defence Annual Report 2022-23" (PDF). Department of Defence. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Walsh, Hannah (24 April 2022). "Second Malayan Emergency veteran reflects on little-known conflict, the communist insurgency". ABC News. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ^ "Defence Act (1903) – SECT 9 Command of Defence Force and arms of Defence Force". Australasian Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
- ^ Grey 2008, pp. 88 & 147.
- ^ a b Odgers 1988, p. 5.
- ^ Grey 2008, pp. 200–201.
- ^ Odgers 1988.
- ^ Grey 2008, pp. 284–285.