Kapooka Army Recruit Training Centre Commandant Colonel Rachel Harris to depart role at end of 2019

A Department of Defence spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Advertiser that Colonel Rachel Harris would leave the role in coming months, to be replaced by Colonel Jim Hammett.

"Colonel Rachel Harris will be departing her appointment as Commandant Army Recruit Training Centre, Kapooka at the end of 2019," the spokesperson said.

"Colonel Harris has served with distinction as Commandant Army Recruit Training Centre and will continue to serve within the Australian Army."

Colonel Harris was preparing to move to Wagga in January before taking over as Commandant some time before May this year from her predecessor Mick Garraway, who was raised in the Riverina.

The Kapooka Army Recruit Training Centre is described by the Australian Defence Force as the "Home of the Soldier".

The base runs a 13-week initial training course described by Defence as "designed to inculcate the knowledge, skills and attitudes required by all soldiers of the Army".

Previous Kapooka Commandants have tended to serve for two years or more in the role, but Defence has denied that there was anything unusual about Colonel Harris' departure.

"It is not uncommon for Australian Army members to have variable posting tenures," a Defence spokesperson said.

"Colonel Jim Hammett will succeed Colonel Harris as Commandant Army Recruit Training Centre Kapooka in early 2020."

One of Colonel Hammett's previous postings was Commanding Officer of Task Group Taji 2's Training Unit in Iraq in 2015 and 2016.

Task Group Taji's mission was for Australian soldiers train Iraqi Security Forces on how to defeat the Islamic State terrorist group.

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Colonel Hammett told the Sydney Morning Herald at the time his unit's main role was to prepare Iraqi forces for the large number of improvised explosive devices that Islamic State had planted outside the city of Mosul, which it captured in 2014.

Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul in mid-2017 after months of heavy fighting.

He was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for "distinguished leadership in warlike operations" as part of the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Colonel Hammett was also the Commanding Officer of 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, based in Queensland.