Commanding Officer HMAS Darwin
Commander Brian Schlegel, RAN
Commander Brian Schlegel, RAN grew up in Melbourne, Victoria and went to school at Scotch College before joining the Navy as a Junior Recruit in July 1983. Serving as a Radar Plotter in HMA Ships Jervis Bay, Derwent, Stuart (II) and Success he received his commission in March 1990 and commenced his Seaman Officer training in HMA Ships Perth, Swan, Cessnock and the Chilean Sail Training Ship Esmeralda - gaining his primary qualification in 1993 and posting to the Hobart Class Destroyer HMAS Brisbane as an Officer of the Watch in 1994.
CMDR Schlegel undertook the Minor War Vessel Navigation Course in 1995 before posting to the Patrol Boats HMAS Fremantle and Warrnambool as Navigating and Executive Officer respectively. Posted to HMAS Watson as a Bridge Simulator Instructor in 1998, CMDR Schlegel subsequently completed the Long Navigation Course in 1999 and was awarded the Peter Mitchell Prize as Dux of Sea Time before joining the Adelaide Class Frigate HMAS Newcastle in 1999 as Navigating Officer for Operations WARDEN, STABILISE (Timor Leste), TREK and DORSAL (Solomon Islands) and Exercise RIMPAC 2000.
Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 2002 combined with further Advanced Navigation training resulted in CMDR Schlegel posting as the Navigating Officer in the Landing Ship Heavy HMAS Tobruk for Operation RELEX II (Border Protection) Operation BEL ISI II (Bougainville) and various deployments before conducting Principle Warfare Officers (PWO) Course in 2004. This culminated in eighteen month tenure as the Major Fleet Unit Sea Training Group Fleet Navigating Officer (FNO) charged with ensuring and assessing the safe navigation standards of Ships Bridge and Command teams in every class of ship and submarine in the RAN (including preparation for Arabian Gulf Deployments).
CMDR Schlegel was appointed in 2006 as the Executive Officer of the Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Stuart for South West Pacific/South East Asian deployment and exercise’s RIMPAC, AUSTHAI and BERSAMA PADU with the ship awarded the Gloucester Cup by the Fleet Commander, as the most proficient ship in the fleet that year.
Promoted in January 2008, CMDR Schlegel joined Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) as the Staff Officer 1 Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Response (now Domestic and Regional operations) to plan and manage specific ADF operations at the operational level - including support of multiple natural disasters such as the Queensland floods of 2008 and the tragic Victorian bushfires in February 2009. CMDR Schlegel was then posted as the Deputy Director Maritime Operations within Navy Strategic Command in August 2009 and was responsible for the day to day flow and management of maritime activities between Maritime Operations Branch (MAROPS), HQJOC, Force Commands and where applicable Foreign service Headquarters.
Married to Amanda with young daughter Madison, CMDR Schlegel holds a Masters Degree in Arts (Strategy and Policy), resides in Sydney, and maintains an active interest in sport, particularly AFL (Richmond), thoroughbred racing, golf, tennis and water skiing.
CMDR Schlegel assumed command of the guided Missile Frigate HMAS Darwin in December 2011.
