Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell renews calls to strip Afghanistan war veterans’ medals

Angus Campbell has launched a fresh attempt to strip medals from senior officers - sparking a campaign that could see his medals removed too.

Australian Defence Force chief General Angus Campbell is making a second attempt to strip distinguished and conspicuous medals from senior officers who led Special Forces in Afghanistan.

The move drew immediate rebuke from former and current serving military personnel and came as a social media campaign was building to demand he be stripped of his own medals for leadership failure.

General Campbell said in his latest missive sent last week to remove the awards that he had referred the matter to Defence Minister Richard Marles to independently determine whether he accepts the assessments of stripping.

Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

His letter was sent to at least seven commanders from the Special Operations Command, largely staffed from the SAS.

“If he is of the view that your award should be cancelled, the Minister will make a recommendation to the Governor-General. The Governor-General will then make a decision. This is in accordance with the Letters Patent. My consideration of your command accountability is now closed,” he wrote.

The Australian SAS Association, the RSL and the Australian Commando Association have written a joint petition to Mr Marles to appeal for him to reject the move, that followed the Brereton report into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by up to 20 Special Forces soldiers.

ASASA chairman Martin Hamilton-Smith said stripping medals ahead of any criminal investigation, trial or outcome was unprecedented in ANZAC history.

A Special Operations Task Group convoy moves through Tarin Kowt in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Picture: Department of Defence

“Whilst we respect the institution of the ADF and the appointment of CDF as part of that institution, we now recognise that General Campbell’s actions necessitate a more prescient response,” he said.

“In our opinion this CDF has mishandled the yet to be proven war crime allegations from the outset and has in the view of many veterans, created an inference of guilt against those involved before the defendants account of events had been heard, in accordance with due process.”

Members of the Special Operations Task Group await a resupply amid the rugged mountains of Oruzgan. Picture: Department of Defence

He added: “SAS soldiers volunteered to get the job done but they were worn down and overused by their government in a lethal and under resourced workplace to minimise the government’s political risks and to fight the war on the cheap by avoiding the need to deploy and put at risk, larger conventional combat forces.”

A Defence spokeswoman said the CDF had considered the positions of those who held command roles during periods in which the Brereton report noted “credible information of multiple incidents of alleged unlawful conduct.”

“The CDF has presented his findings and a series of recommendations to (Marles) for consideration, as it is ongoing and to protect privacy and support the welfare of our people, Defence will not comment on the circumstances of individuals.”

While the three veteran groups are taking a formal approach to reject the CDF’s move, there has been a groundswell of rank and file serving and former troops who have been building a campaign against Gen Campbell.

This has included considerable social media appeals, legal advice as well as Freedom of Information requests from Defence to build a case that Gen. Campbell was not entitled to his own medals from Afghanistan service.

Series of questions have been on sent to Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie to ask the CDF directly through the parliamentary budget estimate hearings.

Originally published as Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell renews calls to strip Afghanistan war veterans’ medals