Gillespie held a range of regimental and staff appointments including Instructor at the School of Military Engineering and at the 1st Recruit Training Battalion.[1] He then held regimental appointments as a junior officer in 2nd Field Engineer Regiment, 5th Field Engineer Regiment, 2nd/3rd Field Engineer Regiment and 1st Construction Regiment, after which he became a Senior Instructor at the School of Military Engineering.[1]
In 1990, Gillespie became Standing Chairman of the Quadripartite Working Group for the Engineers in the ABCA Armies Agreement and in 1991 he attended the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College where he earned a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies.[1] In 1992 he held a senior staff appointment at the Directorate of Engineers — Army. He was appointed a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom in 1998 and was selected to be Senior National Officer for Australia in the ABCA Program in 1999.[1]
He was promoted to brigadier in January 1999. In this rank he was the Chief of Staff Training Command — Army, he commanded the United Nations Sector West multinational brigade in East Timor,[4] and he was the National Commander of Australia's contribution to Operation Slipper.[5]
Gillespie assumed his appointment as Chief of Army on 4 July 2008.[6] On 29 April 2010, Gillespie was presented with Singapore's Meritorious Service Medal by the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Teo Chee Hean, and Chief of the Singapore Army, Brigadier General Chan Chun Sing. The award came as a result of Gillespie's "leadership and commitment to furthering relationships between the armies" of Australia and Singapore.[7] In August 2010, controversy arose when Gillespie outlawed the wearing of berets on the grounds that they led to an increased risk of skin cancer. The exemption of the special forces from the ban added to the controversy.[8] Gillespie handed over command of the Army to Lieutenant General David Morrison during a ceremony on 24 June 2011,[9] and officially retired from the Australian Defence Force two days later.
Personal life
Gillespie is married to Carmel and they have a student daughter. He has two grown children from a previous marriage. He is well travelled, enjoys most sports (particularly golf), and is a keen reader.[1]
Honours and awards
In February 2018, the then NSW Governor, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC(rtd) promulgated in the NSW Government Gazette, the election of Ken Gillespie as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.
For his service as the Commander Australian Contingent, Operation Slipper, Gillespie was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the Military Division in the 2003 Australia Day Honours.[5] On 26 January 2011, Gillespie was promoted to Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).[10]
Gillespie was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002 for "distinguished command and leadership"[4] while Commander Sector West deployed on active service with the United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor during Operation Tanager.
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