Commander Jason McBain
Commander Jason McBain, RAN was born on the Central Coast of NSW, and joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Direct Entry Officer in 2002 having completed a Bachelor of Business at Southern Cross University and 5 years in the Australian Army Reserve. He has served in HMA Ships Melbourne and Dubbo prior to being awarded his Bridge Warfare Certificate in HMAS Parramatta. During these postings he saw operational service in the Arabian Gulf and on Boarder Protection.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2005 and remained posted to Parramatta for consolidation as an Officer of the Watch. During this time the ship deployed to the Arabian Gulf for Parramatta’s first deployment in support of Operation CATALYST. Completing the Minor War Vessel Navigation Course in 2007, then Lieutenant McBain served as the Executive Officer of Assail Six, an Armidale Class Patrol Boat Crew embarking in HMA Ships Pirie, Maitland, Ararat and Broome. Returning to HMAS Parramatta in mid‑2009, he completed a short period as an Assistant Principal Warfare Officer before commencing Principle Warfare Officers Course in late 2009. Following graduation he joined HMAS Stuart for duties as the Gunnery Officer for training and deployment to the Middle East for Operation SLIPPER. He assumed the role of Operations Officer HMAS Stuart in mid-2011 for the return passage and subsequent Sea Swap from Stuart to HMAS Anzac.
Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 2012, he completed Air Warfare specialist, Force Warfare Course prior to posting to HMAS Toowoomba as the Operations Officer deploying back to the Middle East for Operation SLIPPER in 2013. On return to Australia in mid-2013, Lieutenant Commander McBain served as the Operations Coordinator for Maritime Operations, Navy Strategic Command. From December 2014 to December 2016, he was appointed as Commanding Officer of HMAS Yarra, a Mine Hunter Coastal. Throughout this period Yarra conducted ongoing mine warfare training and Operation RESOLUTE in support of Australia’s Boarder Protection. The culmination of his period in Command was Yarra’s deployment to Southeast Asia.
2017 saw Lieutenant Commander McBain posted as the Staff Officer to the Director General, Military Strategic Commitments prior to commencing the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2018. While on Command and Staff Course he completed a Masters of Strategy and Defence Studies through the Australian National University. At the end of 2018 he was promoted to Commander and returned to Maritime Operations as the Commander of Current Operations.
Through 2020 to 2022 Commander McBain completed a representational posting as the Defence Advisor to the South Pacific. Based in Nuku'alofa Tonga, and accredited to the Nations of Kiribati, Samoa, and Tonga. On return to Australia he was selected for command of HMAS Arunta (FFH) assuming Command in June 2022.
