 He supported the Commander JTF in providing national command oversight of all Australian Defence Force elements conducting maritime, land and air operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.He was promoted to rear admiral in March 2011 to perform the role of Deputy Commander of the Combined AS/US Task Force for Exercise Talisman Sabre and assumed the role of Deputy Chief Joint Operations Command on 6 June 2011.He commanded the Defence operations that supported CHOGM 2011 and the visit to Australia by the President of the United States of America, also in 2011.