air marshal ray born march retired senior commander royal_australian_air_force raaf served chief air staff graduate began career flying sabre jet fighters australia 1950s 1960s commanded squadron time swing wing bomber entered australian service held senior staff posts early 1980s promoted air marshal inaugural vice chief appointed july closely involved development air power doctrine retired raaf october following term founding principal served committees immigration detention early career rise senior command born march brisbane queensland educated joined royal_australian_air_force raaf january received flying training scholarship aged learnt fly january entered air cadet graduating distinction married wife couple sons spent early career flying sabre jet fighters new_south_wales malaysia thailand east malaysia flight lieutenant early 1960s instructed western_australia served commanding officer squadron squadron leader attended canberra january december subsequently served staff positions raaf exchange united_states_air_force raaf officer attend received master degree political science promoted wing commander commanding officer squadron queensland tenure witnessed introduction swing wing bomber australian service april flew australia commemorate continent wing commander flight lieutenant seaplane head project served honorary aide camp governor general sir awarded national medal long service following year senior command promoted air commodore appointed chief staff new south wales attended london following year appointed director general military staff branch november promoted air vice marshal chief plans appointed officer june year took position assistant chief june promoted air marshal appointed vice chief role responsible policy planning operations july succeeded air marshal chief air staff graduate attain position incumbent possess master degree known intellectual curiosity commitment study air warfare ordered establishment permanent think tank educational institution later donated library raaf self produced treatise aerial war fighting completed development team sponsored published championed publication decisive factor based writings air vice marshal credited laying foundations raaf modern air power doctrine focused turning raaf air power element cohesive integrated defence force tenure saw continuation shift raaf centre gravity south north australia raaf opened development proceeded far north queensland time bases south including support units capital cities air_force process iii fighter squadrons contend shortage pilots exacerbated extra training time required new aircraft september flew raaf recently acquired trainers considered fitting journey held position australia time term coincided gulf war raaf contribution included transporting australian hostages medical staff middle_east appointed companion order australia june service awarded commander later life retired raaf following completion term october succeeded classmates intake year term longest served years post director project served inaugural principal subsequently evolved consultant awarded centenary medal humanitarian defence services january member people smuggling publicly australian contribution invasion iraq battle joined opposed withdrawal troops cautioned anti war demonstrations served deputy chair status resolution deputy chair recreational activities include photography walking
Ray Funnell