Admiral Christopher Alexander Barrie AC

Chief of the Defence Force (1998–2002)
Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1997–1998)
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (1996–1997)

Chris Barrie was born in Marrickville, Sydney, in 1945. He was educated at North Sydney Boys High School and joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1961 as a cadet midshipman. During his early naval training, he served in HMA Ships Anzac, Vampire and Melbourne. Postings to the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth and HMS Excellent followed.

He was a member of the commissioning crew of HMAS Brisbane and he later served in it during a 7-month deployment to Vietnam, in 1969, where it operated on the gunline with the US Navy, providing naval gunfire support to land forces ashore. Later appointments included commanding officer of the patrol boat HMAS Buccaneer; operations and navigating officer in HMS Eastbourne, HMAS Perth and HMAS Duchess; executive officer in HMAS Vampire; and commanding officer of the destroyer escort HMAS Stuart.

He served as director of the RAN Surface Warfare School and commanding officer of HMAS Watson, and from 1991 to 1992 was the Defence adviser in India. Following promotion to commodore in 1991, he served as deputy maritime commander and chief of staff at Maritime Headquarters in Sydney.

Promoted to rear admiral in November 1994, he was Deputy Chief of Naval Staff from May 1996 to June 1997, before promotion to vice admiral and service as Vice Chief of the Defence Force from 1997 to 1998. He was then promoted to admiral and assumed the post of Chief of the Defence Force on 4 July 1998.

Christopher Barrie retired from the Navy on 3 July 2002.

His military service was recognised when he was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1994, promoted within the order to Officer in 1998, and then promoted again, to Companion, in January 2001.

He has a Bachelor of Arts, with a special focus on international relations and politics, and a Master of Business Administration.