{{Short description|Australian army officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name= Jeff Sengelman |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= |birth_date= |birth_place= |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= Australia |branch= Australian Army |service_years= 1980–2017 |rank= Major General |sservicenumber= |unit= |commands= Special Operations Commander Australia (2014–17)<br/>Deputy Chief of Army (2011–12)<br/>Forces Command (2011)<br/>6th Brigade (2010–11)<br/>4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (2000–01) |battles= East Timor (UNTAET)<br/>Iraq War |awards= Distinguished Service Cross<br/>Member of the Order of Australia<br/>Conspicuous Service Cross<br/>Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States) |relations= |other_work= }} Major General '''Jeffery John Sengelman''', {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|DSC|AM|CSC}} is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. He joined the army via the Officer Cadet School, Portsea in 1980, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and spent much of his military career in special forces. He commanded the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (2000–01) and the 6th Brigade (2010–11), deployed on operations to East Timor and Iraq, and served as Commander Forces Command in 2011, Deputy Chief of Army from 2011 to 2012, Head of Modernisation and Strategic Planning – Army from 2012 to 2014, and Special Operations Commander Australia from 2014 until his retirement in 2017.
==Military career== Sengelman entered the Officer Cadet School, Portsea, in 1980 and, on graduation, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps on 13 June 1981.<ref name="QUT">{{cite web|title=QUT Distinguished Visitor Lecture|url=https://www.qut.edu.au/institute-for-future-environments/about/events/events?news-id=129528|publisher=Queensland University of Technology|date=9 May 2018|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Defence Force Appointments, etc.|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240773852/25932106|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=7 July 1981|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref><ref name="HMS">{{cite web|title=Head of Modernisation and Strategic Planning - Army: Major General Jeff Sengelman, DSC, AM, CSC|url=http://www.army.gov.au/Who-we-are/Leaders/Head-of-Modernisation-and-Strategic-Planning-Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028131843/http://www.army.gov.au/Who-we-are/Leaders/Head-of-Modernisation-and-Strategic-Planning-Army|archive-date=28 October 2012|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> He occupied a series of regimental, staff and training appointments in infantry and special forces units during his early career, including as a Freefall and Counter Terrorist Troop Commander and unit adjutant in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR).<ref name="QUT"/><ref name="HMS"/> He was promoted to lieutenant on 13 December 1982,<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian Army|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240754073|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=20 September 1983|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> made an acting captain on 1 July 1984,<ref>{{cite news|title=Promotion of Officers|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240743050|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=11 September 1984|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> and advanced to substantive captain from 1 February 1986.<ref>{{cite news|title=Promotion of Officers|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240834607/26121813|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=15 April 1986|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref>
As a major, Sengelman was Officer Commanding 2nd Sabre Squadron, SASR during the early 1990s. For his performance in the role, he was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 1995 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Queen's Birthday 1995 Honours|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240551900|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=12 June 1995|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> Sengelman assumed command of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (4RAR) in January 2000.<ref name="Horner">{{Harvnb|Horner|Bou|2008|p=441}}</ref> 4RAR had not long come through a complete restructure to transition from a light infantry battalion to a commando special forces unit in order to supplement the capability of the SASR.<ref>{{Harvnb|Stockings|2008|pp=298–99, 316}}</ref> Three months into Sengelman's command, however, 4RAR was tasked to deploy with the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor and had to be rapidly reorganised as light infantry to meet its operational requirements. Sengelman led 4RAR in East Timor from April to October 2000, working with the East Timorese to ensure local security, gather intelligence and conduct regular patrols.<ref>{{Harvnb|Stockings|2008|pp=316–18}}</ref> Sengelman relinquished command of 4RAR in Sydney in December 2001,<ref name="Horner"/> but in recognition of his "distinguished command and leadership" on operations in East Timor he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the 2002 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Queen's Birthday 2002 Honours|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240488140|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=10 June 2002|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> [[File:Major General Jeff Sengelman with members of North-West Mobile Force during Exercise Kowari 2014.jpg|left|thumb|Sengelman (at left) crosses a creek in the Northern Territory during exercise Kowari in October 2014.]] Sengelman was subsequently appointed Staff Officer (Policy) to the Chief of the Defence Force, was Director of Military Art at the Royal Military College, Duntroon from 2003 to 2005,<ref name="QUT"/><ref name="HMS"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Roll of Directors of Military Art|url=https://www.army.gov.au/army-life/army-careers/royal-military-college-duntroon/rmc-d-leaders/roll-of-directors-of-military|work=Royal Military College, Duntoon|publisher=Australian Army|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> and served in the Iraq War. As a brigadier, he was Deputy Special Operations Commander Australia, chief of staff to Special Operations Command, and commanded the re-raised 6th Brigade from 2010.<ref name="QUT"/><ref name="HMS"/> For his "exceptional service" in these roles, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2011 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Queen's Birthday 2011 Honours|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240487732/26149501|newspaper=Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|date=13 June 2011|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> Promoted to major general, Sengelman was made Commander Forces Command in June 2011, reposted as Deputy Chief of Army in October, and appointed as Head of Modernisation and Strategic Planning – Army in February 2012.<ref name="QUT"/><ref name="HMS"/> In December 2014, Sengelman assumed his final military posting as Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST). As SOCAUST, he was responsible to both the Chief of Army and Chief of Joint Operations for the training, capability development, and operations of Australia's special forces.{{sfn|Davies|Jennings|Scheer|2014|p=12}} Sengelman was succeeded as SOCAUST by Major General Adam Findlay in June 2017, and retired from the army after a career of 37 years.<ref name="QUT"/>
Sengelman holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Arts in International Relations and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College and the United States Army War College.<ref name="QUT"/><ref name="HMS"/>
==Personal life and later career== Following his retirement from the army, Sengelman joined the board of the communications company EM Solutions in October 2017.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shmith|first=Gary|title=Former Special Operations Commander Australia to Join EM Solutions Board|url=https://www.emsolutions.com.au/news-events-case-studies/press-releases/159-pr-jeff-sengelman|date=29 September 2017|work=Press releases|publisher=EM Solutions|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025131347/https://www.emsolutions.com.au/news-events-case-studies/press-releases/159-pr-jeff-sengelman|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Decorated Soldier Joins SME Board|url=https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/key-enablers/1329-decorated-solider-joins-sme-board|date=3 October 2017|publisher=Defence Connect|access-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> He currently serves as Chairman of the Board for a publicly traded, multinational communications technology company, and a human performance optimisation company.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simcock |first=Lisa |date=2020-06-03 |title=Harvest Technology (ASX:HTG) appoints former ADF Major, Jeffrey Sengelman, as Chairman |url=https://themarketherald.com.au/harvest-technology-asxhtg-appoints-former-adf-major-jeffrey-sengelman-as-chairman-2020-06-03/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=The Market Herald |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Major General Jeff Sengelman (rtd) Joins Fusion Sport Board of Directors |url=https://smartabase.com/news/jeff-sengelman-joins-fusion-sport-board/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=Smartabase |language=en-US}}</ref> Sengelman also mentors veterans with PTSD in his local community and serves as a Board Director of the Australian Capital Territory, Domestic Violence Crisis Service.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
Sengelman is married to Julie, with whom he has a son and a daughter. He enjoys reading, Rugby Union, hiking and surfing.<ref name="HMS"/>
==Footnotes== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite book|last1=Davies|first1=Andrew|last2=Jennings|first2=Peter|last3=Scheer|first3=Benjamin|title=A Versatile Force: The Future of Australia's Special Operations Capability|url=https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/import/Special_operations_capability.pdf?P0FPQ4lfDCoqMEs3Pg7P2BCLJIsuEwKO|year=2014|publisher=Australian Strategic Policy Institute|location=Barton, Australian Capital Territory|isbn=9781921302978}} * {{cite book|editor-last=Horner|editor-first=David|editor-link=David Horner|editor-last2=Bou|editor-first2=Jean|title=Duty First: A History of the Royal Australian Regiment|chapter=Appendix C: Commanding Officers|pages=438–444|edition=2nd|year=2008|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=Sydney|isbn=9780044422273}} * {{cite book|last=Stockings|first=Craig|authorlink=Craig Stockings|editor-last=Horner|editor-first=David|editor-last2=Bou|editor-first2=Jean|title=Duty First: A History of the Royal Australian Regiment|chapter=Upheaval, Uncertainty and Opportunity: UN Operations and Australia, 1990–1999|pages=280–305|edition=2nd|year=2008|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=Sydney|isbn=9780044422273}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Brigadier Daniel McDaniel<br/><small>(Acting)</small>}} {{s-ttl|title=Special Operations Commander Australia|years=2014–2017}} {{s-aft|after=Major General Adam Findlay}} |- {{s-bef|before=Major General Paul Symon}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Chief of Army|years=2011–2012}} {{s-aft|after={{nowrap|Major General Angus Campbell}}}} |- {{s-bef|before=Major General David Morrison}} {{s-ttl|title=Commander Forces Command|years=2011}} {{s-aft|after=Major General Michael Slater}} {{s-end}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sengelman, Jeff}} Category:Australian generals Category:Australian military personnel of the Iraq War Category:Graduates of the Officer Cadet School, Portsea Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Officers of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)