Simon Cullen
Cullen, Simon (-), RADM
Rear Admiral Cullen AM, CSC, RAN completed primary and secondary schooling in Western Australia before joining the Royal Australian Navy in 1977 as a Seaman Officer. After initial officer training both at sea and ashore, Admiral Cullen gained his Primary Qualification in HMAS Brisbane in 1979.
Admiral Cullen's initial career postings were to HMA Ships Snipe, Bombard and Parramatta (III). In 1984 he undertook a posting to HMAS Stirling as the Assistant Operations Officer before commencing Warfare Officer training in the United Kingdom, specialising in Anti-Submarine Warfare.
On completion of his training, Admiral Cullen returned to Australia to take up Anti-Submarine Warfare duties in HMAS Sydney. This was followed by a posting to HMAS Watson in Sydney as an instructor on the Australian Warfare Officer's course (following repatriation of the course to Australia from the United Kingdom).
Admiral Cullen was selected to undertake an exchange posting with the Royal Navy in 1987, where he served in HM Ships Brazen and Penelope and on the staff of Flag Officer Ser Training. Returning to Australia in 1990, he completed the Royal Australian Navy's Staff Course before undertaking a posting as a Staff Officer in the Warfare Branch of Navy Office in Canberra. This was followed by postings as Operations Officer to Commodore flotilla's and Executive Officer of HMAS Derwent.
On promotion to Commander in 1994, Admiral Cullen was posted ashore to undertake duties as Commander Operations West at HMAS Stirling. In 1997, Admiral Cullen returned to Canberra as the Deputy Director of Sailor's Career Management. Admiral Cullen commanded HMAS Sydney from April 1999 until November 2000, during which time the ship played an active role supporting INTERFET in East Timor and acted as the Guard ship for the Sydney Olympic Games. On completion of his posting to HMAS Sydney, Admiral Cullen was promoted to Captain and was posted to Canberra, where amongst other duties he was the Director of Naval Communications, Intelligence, and Electronic Warfare. Admiral Cullen assumed command of the HMAS Albatross in late December 2002.
In may 2004, Admiral Cullen assumed duties as Chief of Staff to Commander Joint Task Force 633 in Baghdad. Upon his return to Australia he undertook a posting as Chief of Staff in Navy Systems Command in Canberra. Admiral Cullen was promoted to Commodore in 2005 and was posted to Headquarters United States Central Command in Tampa Florida as the Director of the Combined Planning Group. In August 2006, he assumed additional duties as the Deputy Director Strategy, Plans and Policy in Central Command.
Admiral Cullen returned to Australia in late 2007 to assume duties as the Deputy commander of the Austraian Fleet. In 2009, he moved from Sydney to Canberra to take up the position as the inaugural Director General Maritime Operations at Headquarters Joint Operations Command. In December the same year, Admiral Cullen returned to the United States to assume a posting as the Australian Chief of Defence Force Liaison Officer to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Admiral Cullen was promoted to his current rank in December 2009 and returned to Tampa, Florida where he assumed his current posting as Deputy Director of Operations, United States Central Command.
