Commanding Officer HMAS Cairns
Commander Wendy Bullen, CSM, ADC, RAN
Commander Wendy Anne Bullen, CSM, ADC, RAN was born in Cairns, Queensland in 1970. She joined the Navy in 1988, at the Australian Defence Force Academy, ACT. She graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts and was posted to HMAS Harman for initial consolidation training. After a number of staff roles including Staff Officer, Director General Recruiting, Assistant Secretary to the Flag Officer Naval Support Command and Staff Officer, Undergraduates in the Directorate of Naval Officers Postings, she transferred to the Administration Branch and completed the Application Course at HMAS Cerberus in 1994.
Lieutenant Bullen worked in the Directorate of International Policy for a short time, representing Australia at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, held in Japan. She was then selected to be the Military Escort Officer to the Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel, (then) The Honourable Ms Bronwyn Bishop MP. She was promoted to Lieutenant Commander while serving as the First Lieutenant HMAS Watson, and completed the RAN Staff Course at HMAS Penguin before posting back to Canberra. Subsequent postings included the OIC Reserve Career Management Cell, the Directorate of Navy PMKeyS and the Directorate of Military Salaries and Allowances - Policy.
Lieutenant Commander Bullen deployed to Headquarters JTF633, Baghdad in 2006 where she served as OC ADMIN. On return to Australia, she completed her Masters of Business Administration at the Queensland University of Technology. On promotion to her current rank in 2008, she assumed responsibility for the Navy Pay Case Team for the Graded Other Ranks Pay Structure which was implemented in 2009. She was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for her efforts in this role. Her involvement in military salaries continued with a posting to the Directorate of Workforce Intelligence, Workforce Planning Branch where she led a Remuneration Benchmarking Project. She assumed Command of HMAS Cairns in January 2011.
