Wing Commander Scott Minchin

DEPUTY COMMANDER, PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 24-2

After joining the RAN in 2002 Wing Commander Minchin transferred to the RAAF as a service policeman, commissioning in 2009. He is currently the Lead Planner Joint Warfighting Series for the Headquarters Joint Operations Command J2 Branch.

Hailing from Whadjuk land, and working on Ngunnawal country, he has completed Intelligence Officer and Service Police Officer qualifications and ARA and Canadian Army CIMIC Staff Planning and Tactical Operations qualifications.  He served in security roles with 26 and 28 Squadrons, Air Force Test Ranges as the Trials Security Officer, and the Defence Security Authority, and as the OIC of the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) Service Police Intelligence Office (SPIO). As the OIC SPIO he developed the ADFIS counter intelligence and insider threat programs and the whole-of Defence non-association policy drafted with ASIO, and the AFP, proscribing associations for Defence personnel with threat actor aligned groups. He was the Executive Officer Force Protection on the USNS Mercy Hospital Ship in 2012, and in 2013 was OIC of the combined AUS-US CIMIC and Force Protection detachments for Operation Pacific Partnership. Wing Commander Minchin has served in a broad range of counterintelligence, force protection and protective security appointments from tactical to strategic levels. This includes as the OIC of 462 Squadron Counterintelligence Teams, as Intelligence Plans Officer at HQJOC for Operations Hawick and Okra, Security Manager at Air Force Test Ranges Squadron, and Manager Security Operations at the Defence Intelligence Organisation. He was the OIC of the Counterintelligence Security Teams at the Avalon and Pitch Black Air show activities, and, the counterintelligence collection authority, leading the multinational security force at Talisman Sabre 21 and Talisman Sabre 23.

Additionally, he has been a CIMIC Advisor at HQ 1 DIV and CIMIC Plans Officer at the Air Force Woomera Test Ranges capability. While posted to Woomera Test Ranges Squadron Leader Minchin wrote the first CIMIC Indigenous Engagement Strategy for Air Force. He led the ADF Counterintelligence Collection Capability at Talisman Sabre 2021 and 2023. As a Diplomatic Security Advisor with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), he has worked across portfolios in Diplomatic Security Division, International Security Division, and Security and Legal Group, in protective security and security intelligence roles. He has posted with DFAT to Jakarta, Indonesia as the Close Protection Manager for Australia’s first female ambassador to Indonesia, and to Nairobi, Kenya as Regional Security Advisor Africa. He was the Principal DFAT Advisor to the Chief of Joint Operations in 2021 and 2022, as the Principal Staff Officer on behalf of DFAT. He has deployed on Operations Accordion, Augury, Highroad, and Mazurka in J2/S2 and SOLO roles, Operation Resolute Support as the OIC of the NATO Intelligence Teams (comprising a Fusion Cell and Tactical Intelligence Team) and as the Mayor of Resolute Support Headquarters Kabul, and, Operation Render Safe as the CIMIC OIC and J2. He completed secondments with US Task Force Sinai as the Executive Officer of Force Protection in 2016 and to the NCIS Force Protection Detachment Singapore Field Office as Service Police Advisor in 2012. In 2009, he received the Australian Intelligence Medallion for counterintelligence support to DIO SCI Programs.

He has received the Force Commanders Commendation for Operation Mazurka, the Polish Star of Afghanistan for his leadership of the Polish NATO forces, the US Air and Space Commendation Medal for his leadership of US Counterintelligence and Force Protection Teams, and CDF Gold (Maritime Border Command) and CJOPS Silver (Pacific Partnership) Commendations. He is a graduate of the DNI Senior Security Professionals Program, received the Major Stuart Brown Student of Merit as a graduate of the Army CIMIC Plans and Operations Course, and completed the NATO Guardian Angels Program and the US Army Combative Program. He is a Prince of Wales Fellow, completing the fellowship with the Canadian Peace Operations Training Centre, graduating from the Canadian CIMIC Planning Course. He is a Special Access Program (SAP) and SCIF accreditor, a Gender Focal Point Advisor. He is the author of the ADF gender peace and security framework for security professionals, and a graduate of the NATO Gender Focal Point Course.

 He has postgraduate qualifications in International Relations, Irregular Warfare and Strategy and Security, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Company Directors Course and Leadership in the Boardroom programs. He is a graded instructor in Filipino Combat Systems, and Freestyle Kickboxing, a graduate of the US Army Combatives Program and an accredited Sports Chaplain. He is the Operations Manager for Australian Defence Force Australian Rules Football, and the Chair of the Air Force Recreation and Welfare Audit Committee. He shares twelve-year-old son Cooper who is a burgeoning Muay Thai kickboxer, military historian and undersized Rugby Union forward, and two Boxer-Shar Pei crosses who do not have a future as military working dogs, with Jane, the Curriculum Manager and Indigenous Mentorship Manager for the NSW Department of Education.