Vice Admiral Matthew John Tripovich
Matthew Tripovich joined the Royal Australian Naval College in January 1974. As a junior officer he served in HMA Ships Duchess, Melbourne, Diamantina, Vendetta, Assail, Torrens and Hobart. He completed the Royal Navy's Principal Warfare Officers' Course in 1984, specialising in anti-air warfare, and returned to Australia to serve as the Direction Officer in HMAS Sydney. In January 1986 he joined the Directorate of Naval User Requirements in Navy Headquarters Australia and was promoted Lieutenant Commander in July 1986. He returned to sea in May 1987 as the Direction Officer, Senior Warfare Officer and Operations Officer in HMAS Brisbane. He was appointed as the Fleet Direction Officer on the staff of the Maritime Commander Australia in December 1988.
On promotion to commander in May 1990, he rejoined HMAS Brisbane as Executive Officer and saw active service during the 1990-91 Gulf War. He headed the Navy's Nulka Active Missile Decoy program during 1992-93 and attended the Joint Services Staff College in the first half of 1994. He commanded HMAS Canberra from September 1994 to May 1996, and then was Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Force until August 1997. On promotion to captain, he became the Director of Maritime Combat Development at Australian Defence Force Headquarters in Canberra. Returning to sea in July 1999, he assumed command of HMAS Anzac and again saw active service in operations off East Timor later that year.
Promoted to Commodore in April 2001, he was appointed Director General Naval Capability, Performance and Plans in Navy Headquarters. He rejoined the Fleet as Commodore Flotillas in June 2002 and led the Australian Fleet Sea Training Group, which was awarded a Chief of Defence Force Commendation for its collective contribution to the preparation of forces for a wide range of real world operations during his tenure. As Commodore Flotillas he also commanded the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (Maritime), which provided deployed command staff for most of the major exercises and real world operations in which the RAN was involved, including operations in the Middle East and the Solomon Islands. In February 2004, he moved ashore and became Director General Navy Personnel and Training at Navy Headquarters. He was promoted Rear Admiral on 1 July 2005 and became Head of Capability Systems in Australian Defence Headquarters. On 28 September 2007, he was promoted Vice Admiral and became Chief Capability Development Group. He completed his full time service in the RAN and transferred to the Standby Reserve on 2 October 2010.
Vice Admiral Tripovich was awarded a Chief of Navy's Commendation in 1988, and the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for his service in HMAS Brisbane during the 1990-91 Gulf War. In June 2005 he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for exceptional service to the Royal Australian Navy in the three appointments that he held as a Commodore. In June 2010 he was promoted within the Order to become an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his distinguished service as Head Capability Systems and Chief Capability Development Group. He has a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD), and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program and a member of the Harvard Business School Alumni.
