Old Collegian Brigadier Eamon Lenaghan (SPC 1985-90) was recognised in the recent King’s Birthday Honours List.
Brigadier Lenaghan was appointed a Member (AM) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia for exceptional performance of duty as the Chief of Staff of the Headquarters Forces Command and the Deputy Head of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Taskforce.
Brigadier Lenaghan played a key role in setting the conditions that ensured Force Command generation for domestic and overseas operations during COVID, while also sustaining the resources for the Army Training Continuum Army Training Division.
He was key in planning for the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide and delivering a unique and blended workforce to support Defence’s contribution to the Royal Commission process.
Brigadier Lenaghan’s focus on wellbeing has enabled the taskforce to support the important work of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
Brigadier Lenaghan is presently on a 12-month deployment as Deputy Commander of the UN Disengagement Force on the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria.
He is the first Australian Officer to hold this position.
The Golan Heights, a fertile, strategic plateau located in the southwest corner of Syria, is bordered by Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and the Sea of Galilee. It is a region of ongoing political contention, with the international community considering the Golan Heights to be Syrian territory occupied by Israel.
We were able to chat briefly to Brigadier Lenaghan last week during his overseas post to congratulate him on his award. He said he was surprised by the honour.
“It was unexpected and humbling,” Brigadier Lenaghan said.
“I’m currently deployed on the Golan Heights so you will understand that we have a few things going on presently.”
Eamon is married to Melanie (Lieutenant Colonel (retired)) and they have three children, Josephine, Fionn and Genevieve.
Eamon was a day student from Tourello, near Creswick. He has multiple family ties with SPC from the past and to this day.
His ancestors Nicholas attended Holy Ghost College between 1889-91, along with Daniel (SPC 1894) and Richard (SPC 1903).
His father Thomas (Eamon) Lenaghan followed in 1951-52. Eamon (senior) and his wife Carlyene have four sons with Eamon the first of his siblings to start at SPC in 1995, followed by Liam (SPC 1989-94), Dermot (SPC 1993-98) and Sean (SPC 1995-2000).
Eamon has three nephews currently attending – Tadhg Lenaghan and Mac and Ned Charleson.
Eamon completed Year 7 through to Year 12 and was actively involved in school life, recognised with scholastic prizes, he was part of the athletics team and helped the community from a young age as part of the College’s St Vincent de Paul group.
He was heavily involved in the cadet program, reaching the rank of Cadet Under Officer and received the Major General WJ Locke Award in 1989 and was awarded a defence scholarship to the Australian Defence Force Academy in his final year.
We look forward to chatting more to Eamon when his work role allows, and in the meantime, we send our hearty congratulations to him on achieving this most notable honour!
