RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter – 2024 / 2025 Edition 28 New Commanding Officers LIEUTENANT COLONEL MAXWELL WILLIAMS 1st Regiment RAA Graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Max Williams was allocated to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. As a junior officer, his appointments included service with the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery and the 1st Recruit Training Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel Williams has served as a Joint Fires Team Commander and Battery Captain within the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery. His instructional experience includes tenure and as an Instructor Gunnery at the School of Artillery during which he was responsible for the Forward and Joint Fires Observer suite of courses. In 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Williams posted to the 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery as the Adjutant and remained in the unit to complete appointments as both a Battery Commander and Operations Officer. In 2020, Major Williams attended the Australian Command and Staff Course before being posted to the Headquarters 1st (Australian) Division Joint Fires and Effects Coordination Centre in 2021. In 2023, he Williams assumed the role of Deputy Director Strategic Influence within Military Strategic Effects Branch. In this role, he Williams was responsible to the Strategic Effects and Targeting Board for the conduct of strategic influence operations. Lieutenant Colonel Williams assumed his current position as Commanding Officer, 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, on 20th December 2024. Lieutenant Colonel William’s operational experience includes Operation SLIPPER as an Afghan National Army Liaison Officer, and Operation ACCORDION, as the 1st (Australian) Division’s lead planner for a non-combatant evacuation operation. He Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and a Master of Military and Defence Studies. Lieutenant Colonel Williams and his partner Bindie both enjoy surfing and long distance running in their spare time, as well as trying to keep up with their two-year-old daughter, Matilda. LIEUTENANT COLONEL JACOB BEALE 8th/12th Regiment RAA Commissioning into the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery in 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Beale has served in a variety of regimental appointments including Battery Commander of ‘A’ Battery in 2014 and 2018, in addition to Battery Commander of 103 Battery in 2019-2020. Following graduation from Australian Command and Staff Course in 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Beale was selected as the Military Assistant to the Head of Military Strategic Commitments, before undertaking the role of Royal Australian Artillery Career Manager at the Directorate of Officer Career Management. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in 2024 he was the Deputy Director Multi-Domain Strike. Operationally, Lieutenant Colonel Beale deployed on OPERATION SLIPPER in 2012 where he was the Joint Fires Team Commander attached to Combat Team Bravo, Mentoring Task Force V. Lieutenant Colonel Beale and his wife, Shakira, have two sons who are eight and five years old. He personally enjoys reading and watching sport in his spare time. New RA Badge with Kings Crown