MilCIS 2020 - 3.3b - Certa Cito: President Certa Cito Foundation and Head of Corps Royal Australian Corps of Signals Updates

3.3b - Certa Cito: President Certa Cito Foundation and Head of Corps Royal Australian Corps of Signals Updates

Tracks

Track 2

Thursday, November 12, 2020

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker

BRIG Alison Creagh

President

Certa Cito Foundation

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Abstract

BRIG Alison Creagh, President of the Certa Cito Foundation will introduce the MilCIS 2020 Certa Cito Stream and then outline the Certa Cito Foundation’s vision to assist the Australian Signals community by supporting the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, its Signals Associations, and families of serving and former serving Signals members.

The Certa Cito Foundation was established by serving and veteran members of the Corps for patriotic and charitable reasons leading up to the 75th Anniversary of the Corps in 2000. In 2025, the Royal Australian Corps of Signals will celebrate its 100th Anniversary (Certa Cito 2025), a significant milestone for the Australian Signals community. The Certa Cito Foundation will again provide support for Certa Cito 2025 activities and events to honour our past, recognise the present and look to the future.

BRIG Creagh is also appointed by the Chief of Army as the Representative Colonel Commandant for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals

BRIG Gregory Novak, Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Signals has been appointed by the Chief of Army (CA) to act as the Corps senior advocate and advisor.

The role of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals is, as part of the combined-arms team, to assist in the creation of a decisive information advantage through the use and manipulation of the electro-magnetic spectrum and the provision of tailored, robust and secure information infrastructure.

On behalf of CA, BRIG Novak is charged with representing the Corps interests and providing specialist Corps support across three broad time-based horizons:

- The past - for maintaining and supporting the history, heritage, customs and traditions of their respective Corps.

- The present - in developing and promulgating key messages to ensure alignment with strategic intent. Importantly, as An Army in Motion, HOC have a key role in supporting the process of ongoing change within an environment characterised by Accelerated Warfare.

- The future - by leveraging our networks of Corps-based professional experts, contribute to the operational effectiveness of the future force, primarily through the provision of considered Corps specific advice to Functional Commanders, and Head Land Capability (HLC), regarding the development of Army’s people and combat capability.

BRIG Novak will provide an update on activities of the Corps during 2020, provide his guidance and seek the support of the serving, veteran and affiliated Corps community in fulfilling his role in support of the Corps.

Biography

Brigadier Alison Creagh AM CSC is President of the Certa Cito Foundation and Representative Colonel Commandant for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. She is also Chair of the ACT Ministerial Advisory Council for Veterans and Their Families, Trustee of the Commando Welfare Trust, a Defence Ambassador and member of the ACT Defence Industry Advisory Board, and a member of the AustCyber Canberra Node Industry Advisory Group. She chairs the Board of Governors for The Road Home - The Repat Foundation and is President of Rowing ACT. Alison is a Non-Executive Director of The Hospital Research Foundation and SME Gateway and is a strategic adviser for several companies including archTIS. Brigadier Creagh retired from the Australian Regular Army in March 2015 after a 30-year career and continues to serve in the Army Reserve. Brigadier Creagh attended the Officer Cadet School Portsea and graduated to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in 1985. During her career she commanded the independent 145th Signal Squadron and the Defence Force School of Signals where she also held the appointment of Deputy Head of Corps. Brigadier Creagh was Director-General Public Affairs, Director-General Strategic Communications and Director-General ADF Theatre Project, Brigadier Creagh served on operations in Cambodia in support of the United Nations, as part of the International Assistance Force in East Timor, Iraq and in Afghanistan with Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (HQ ISAF). She also supported the Sydney 2000 Olympics and a number of disaster relief and border protection operations in Australia.

BRIG Gregory Novak

Head of Corps

Royal Australian Corps of Signals, Australian Army

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Abstract

Biography

Brigadier Novak graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1995 to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. He has since filled a full range of regimental and staff appointments with highlights including Squadron Commander and Regimental Operations Officer at the 3rd Combat Signal Regiment, Staff Officer Grade 1 for battlefield digitisation at Army Headquarters, and Commanding Officer of the 1st Combat Signal Regiment. Post his Regimental command, Brigadier Novak spent two years seconded to the Office of National Intelligence as a strategic analyst. In this role, he prepared reports covering global events and issues relevant to Australia’s strategic security interests for a range of senior government officials. After this secondment, Brigadier Novak returned to Army Headquarters as Military Assistant to the Chief of Army. Brigadier Novak was promoted to Colonel in December 2016 and subsequently posted to the United States as the Australian Liaison Officer to United States Strategic Command. In this role, Brigadier Novak worked closely with senior leaders from across the Australian Defence Organisation and United States Strategic Command in a constant effort to operationalise and strengthen this important relationship. Upon return to Australia in 2019, Brigadier Novak served as Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force. He was promoted to his current rank and Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Signals in January 2020 and appointed Commander Defence Strategic Communications in February 2020. In this role, he is responsible for delivering a secure, robust and resilient strategic communications network for deployed ADF elements, Australian Defence bases and coalition partners in support of all Department of Defence operations, contingencies and exercises. Brigadier Novak is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff Course and holds a Masters of Science in Information Technology and a Masters of Arts in Strategy and Policy, both awarded from the University of New South Wales.