{{Short description|Australian Army officer}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox military person |name= Brian Ashley Power |image= Ash Power 070616-M-6609K-235.jpg |caption= Power c. 2007 |birth_date= {{Birth date and age|1957|01|20|df=yes}} |birth_place= Wangaratta, Victoria |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= Australia |branch= Australian Army |service_years= 1975–2014 |rank= Lieutenant General |unit= |commands= Chief of Joint Operations<br/>Training Command<br/>1st Division<br/>1st Brigade<br/>4th Field Regiment |battles= {{tree list}} * International Force East Timor * War in Afghanistan ** Operation Slipper * Iraq War ** Operation Catalyst {{tree list/end}} |awards= Officer of the Order of Australia<br/>Conspicuous Service Cross<br/>Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States)<br/>Meritorious Service Medal (United States) |other_work= }} Lieutenant General '''Brian Ashley "Ash" Power''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO,|CSC}} (born 20 January 1957) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. Power served as Chief of Joint Operations from 2011 until his retirement in May 2014.
==Military career== Power entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in January 1975. He graduated nearly four years later in December 1978 and was allocated to the Royal Australian Artillery. He was posted to the 4th Field Regiment for regimental duty and performed the functions of Section Commander, Gun Position Officer, and Assistant Adjutant. He later returned to command the Regiment, for which he was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 1998.<ref name=CSC/>
He has been an instructor at the School of Artillery, the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley, United Kingdom, and has also attended Command and Staff College, Bangkok, Thailand.
In November 1998 Power deployed to Bougainville Island on Operation Belisi as the Chief of Staff, and in September 1999 was deployed as the Colonel Operations for International Force East Timor (INTERFET). He was posted as the Defence Attaché Thailand in January 2000, and on his return in January 2002, studied at the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Canberra.
Power was promoted to brigadier on 22 November 2002, and assumed command of the 1st Brigade on 6 December 2002.<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2004/May/310504/power_bio.pdf Australian Defence Force Biography as Commander, 1st Brigade], May 2004.</ref>
In 2005 Power was promoted to major general, and assumed command of the 1st Division on 2 July 2005.
In June 2006 he became a Member of the Order of Australia,<ref name=AM/> and in November 2006 was posted as Commander Joint Task Force 636.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.contactairlandandsea.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=623 |title=Task Force home from Fiji |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050624132019/http://contactairlandandsea.com/modules.php?name=News |archive-date=24 June 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Power served as Australian Commander of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2007 (TS07)<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/exercises/ts07/q&a.htm Exercise Talisman Saber Question & Answers] – ''"The Commander of the Task Force Legais (a fictional land mass represented in part by Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA)), the live portion of the exercise, is Australian Major General Ash Power, Commander 1 Division."''</ref> before assuming command of Training Command, Army on 6 July 2007.
In May 2011, Power was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS) and Commander of Headquarters, Joint Operations Command (HQJOC). He was upgraded to an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2012 Australia Day Honours List.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gg.gov.au/res/file/2012/honours/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20AO(Mil)%20(final).pdf |title=Officer (AO) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia |accessdate=26 January 2012 |work=Australia Day 2012 Honours Lists |publisher=Website of the Governor-General of Australia |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227132953/http://www.gg.gov.au/res/file/2012/honours/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20AO%28Mil%29%20%28final%29.pdf |archivedate=27 February 2012 }}</ref>
Ash Power is a veteran of Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and Bougainville.<ref name=bm>{{Cite web |url=http://bordermail.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/new-club-an-oasis-at-barracks/782619.aspx |title=Major General Power, a veteran of Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and Bougainville |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728070207/http://bordermail.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/new-club-an-oasis-at-barracks/782619.aspx |archive-date=28 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Personal== In 1978, Power married Narelle.<ref>[http://www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/news_media/archive/2005/oct.asp Major General Ash Power, CSC and Mrs Narelle Power] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080721215026/http://www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/news_media/archive/2005/oct.asp |date=21 July 2008 }} at Government House, Queensland, October 2005.</ref> They have two daughters.
==Honours and awards== {{BLP sources section|date=June 2016}} {{clear}} <div class="center"> 100px 100px 100px
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{| class="wikitable" |- |rowspan=2|100x20px || Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) || 26 January 2012<ref name=AM>[http://www.gg.gov.au/res/file/2012/honours/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20AO(Mil)%20(final).pdf Officer of the Order of Australia – 26 January 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227132953/http://www.gg.gov.au/res/file/2012/honours/ad2012/Media%20Notes%20AO%28Mil%29%20%28final%29.pdf |date=27 February 2012 }} Citation: ''For distinguished service as Commander of the 1st Division, Commander Training Command – Army and Head Military Strategic Commitments.''</ref> |- | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) || (12 June 2006) |- |100x20px || Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) || 26 January 1998<ref name=CSC>[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/914125 Conspicuous Service Cross – 26 January 1998]</ref> |- |100x20px || Australian Active Service Medal || with EAST TIMOR, ICAT clasps<ref name=bm/> |- |100x20px || INTERFET medal || |- |100x20px || Afghanistan Medal || |- |100x20px || Australian Service Medal || with BOUGAINVILLE clasp<ref name=bm/> |- |100x20px || Defence Force Service Medal with 4 clasps || (35–39 years of service) |- |100x20px || Australian Defence Medal || |- |100x20px || ISAF || NATO ISAF medal – 'International Security Assistance Force' medal |- |100x20px || Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States) || c. March 2006<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine/editions/200603/coverstory/coverstory.htm ''Signs of the times''], ''Defence'' magazine, March 2006.</ref><ref>Officer of the Legion of Merit citation extract: "For exceptionally meritorious service as the Director, Combined Planning Group (CPG)" in the period from June 2004 to June 2005. "His expertise in strategic analysis and deliberate planning shaped the CPG's structure and mission, assured a firm foundation for the development of quality planning and assessment efforts, and promoted continued growth of CPG capabilities. He coordinated CPG efforts with USCENTCOM (US Central Command) leadership to provide valuable international perspectives to ongoing planning and analysis, better capitalise on the intellectual capacity of select international officers by integrating them into key theatre headquarters staff processes and products, and to develop and incorporate analytical constructs for use at the strategic-theatre level. Brigadier Power's exemplary performance, dynamic leadership and exceptional devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself, the Australian Army, and his country."</ref> |- |100x20px || Meritorious Service Medal (United States) ||<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/leaders/other/powerAsh/20110603adf201084LJB_011_lo.jpg ''Official Portrait''], [http://www.defence.gov.au/leaders/other/index.htm#Power], June 2011.</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2007/apr/20070426/20070424cpansw8025730_048_lo.jpg Copyright photo of Major General Ash Power AM CSC, Commander 1st Division], 26 April 2007. Source:[http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2007/apr/20070426/index.htm Kapyong Parade for 3rd Battalion] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110608103948/http://www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine/editions/200603/photos/coverstory6.jpg General John Abizaid (US Army), right, presents Major General Ash Power with The Legion of Merit award] Photo by Phill Vavasour
{{S-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box | title=Chief of Joint Operations | before=Lieutenant General Mark Evans | after=Vice Admiral David Johnston | years=2011–2014 | }} {{succession box | title=Commander 1st Division | before=Major General Mark Kelly | after=Major General Richard Wilson | years=2005–2007 | }} {{S-end}}
{{Chief of Joint Operations (Australia)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Power, Ash}} Category:1957 births Category:Military personnel from Victoria (state) Category:Academics of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Category:Academics of the Staff College, Camberley Category:Australian generals Category:Australian military personnel of the International Force for East Timor Category:Australian military personnel of the Iraq War Category:Australian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Chiefs of Joint Operations (Australia) Category:Living people Category:Officers of the Legion of Merit Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:People from Wangaratta Category:Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) Category:Royal Military College, Duntroon graduates Category:Australian recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)