Susan Coyle

Coyle was born on 21 May 1970 in Kyogle, a small town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.[1][2] Coyle has an elder sister, Alice, and three brothers. Alice joined the Australian Army Reserve and served in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in the 1980s, which inspired Susan to a career in the Australian Army. During her final years at Oxley High School in Tamworth, Coyle was sponsored under the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) scholarship scheme and joined the Australian Army Reserve herself, serving with the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers. She graduated from Oxley High in 1988 and, the following January, entered ADFA as an Australian Army officer cadet.[3][4]

Coyle graduated from ADFA with a Bachelor of Science in 1991 and, following additional training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, was commissioned into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals in 1992.[2][5] Coyle's early career was marked by a variety of communications appointments, before she was selected as aide-de-camp to the Commander Australian Theatre from 1998 to 1999. She then received an exchange posting to the United States in 2000, serving as Brigade Satellite Engineer for the 11th Signal Brigade. Coyle was awarded the United States Army Commendation Medal for her performance in this role. She returned to Australia in 2001 and was posted to Headquarters Land Command as SO2 Communications. In 2002, she deployed on Operation Citadel, Australia's contribution to the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor, as J6, the staff officer responsible for communications.[1][2][5]

Coyle was posted to Darwin in 2003 as Officer Commanding 104th Signal Squadron. She led the squadron during a deployment to the Solomon Islands on Operation Anode in 2004, receiving a Chief of Joint Operations Command Commendation. She attended the Australian Command and Staff College in 2005, graduating with a Master of Management in Defence Studies from the affiliated University of Canberra. She served as Military Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Army in 2006 and, following staff postings with the Directorate of Officer Career Management – Army, was appointed to command the 17th Signal Regiment in Sydney from 2009 to 2010.[1][2][5] In recognition of her "outstanding achievement" as a "commander and leader" of the regiment, Coyle was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6]

Coyle was next appointed to the directing staff of the Australian Command and Staff College—which included a three-month stint as Director of Studies – Land—prior to being posted as Director of Soldier Career Management – Army. In June 2014 Coyle, now a colonel, deployed to the Middle East as Deputy Commander – Afghanistan in Joint Task Force 633. As operations in the Middle East transitioned to a military intervention against the Islamic State, the Australian forces were reorganised and Coyle became Deputy Commander Joint Task Force 633. Towards the end of her twelve-month tour, she raised and was the inaugural commander of Task Group Afghanistan (Task Group 633.6).[1][2][3] In recognition of her "distinguished leadership" and "exceptional drive, enthusiasm and commitment" in the Middle East, Coyle was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in the 2017 Australia Day Honours.[7] She returned to Australia as Chief of Staff and Director Workforce and Behaviours within the First Principles Review, One Defence Implementation Office, prior to being seconded to the United States in 2016 to attend the United States Army War College. She graduated in 2017, leaving the college as a Distinguished Graduate with a Master of Strategic Studies. She also holds a Master in Organisational Development and Strategic Human Resource Management from the University of New England.[1][2]

Coyle was appointed to command the 6th Combat Support Brigade at Victoria Barracks, Sydney in June 2017. She was also appointed Head of Corps for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.[1][2][5] The 6th Brigade oversees intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance units in the Australian Army to provide specialist combat support to land-based forces.[8] Coyle relinquished command of the brigade in December 2019 and, promoted major general, redeployed to the Middle East as Commander Joint Task Force 633 on Operation Accordion from January to November 2020. Coyle was the first woman to command the task force, which is responsible for all Australian Defence Force operations and more than 1,200 personnel in the Middle East region.[9][10]

Following her return to Australia, Coyle was appointed Head Information Warfare in the Joint Capabilities Group.[11]

Coyle is married to Mark, an officer in the Australian Army's Royal Australian Engineers, and together they have three children. She enjoys musical theatre, reading, and travel.[1][2]