Vice Admiral Russell Edward Shalders, (born 28 September 1951) is a retired admiral of the

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...

(RAN). He served as Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 2002 to 2005, and as Chief of Navy from 2005 to 2008.

Early life

Shalders was born in

Ararat, Victoria Ararat (Djabwurrung: ''Tallarambooroo'') is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, about west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway on the eastern slopes of the Ararat Hills and Cemetery Creek valley between Victoria's Western District and ...

, on 28 September 1951 to Kenneth George Shalders, a former army

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

who had served with the 2/12th Battalion in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, and Muriel Jean Shalders.

Naval career

Shalders entered the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay as a 16-year-old cadet midshipman in 1967. After sea training he undertook operations and weapons courses in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. On returning to Australia, he was posted as

executive officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, ...

of the patrol boat , then joined , before he assumed command of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force patrol boat ''Samarai''. Shalders then served as divisional officer at the RAN College in 1976, and then in prior to

principal warfare officer A principal warfare officer (PWO), is one of a number of warfare branch specialist officers. Australia In Australia, a PWO is a Royal Australian Navy officer who has completed PWO training. The Australian PWO course is delivered at HMAS ''Wats ...

training in the UK in 1978. He returned as operations and

anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are typi ...

(ASW) officer aboard HMAS ''Vendetta'', then was an officer's posting officer in Canberra. After promotion to lieutenant commander in 1981, Shalders completed the Naval Staff Course for International Officers at the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New ...

, and then undertook advanced warfare officer training in the UK, specialising in anti-submarine warfare. He joined as ASW officer and operations officer in 1982, but completed this posting as executive officer. In the rank of commander, Shalders served at the RAN Staff College as a member of the Directing Staff from mid-1984. After two years at the embassy in Washington, D.C. in 1986–87, he assumed command of and was then appointed as commander, Sea Training. Admiral Russ Shalders

On promotion to captain, Shalders was posted at short notice to command during the Persian Gulf War, and was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in recognition of this period in command. In 1991, he became director of naval warfare and subsequently director, general naval policy and warfare. Shalders commanded HMAS ''Perth'' in 1993–94 and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London in 1995. On promotion to commodore, Shalders was appointed as director general, joint exercise plans and then director general, operations policy and doctrine and director general, information strategic concepts. He returned to the fleet to become commodore of flotillas in January 1998, responsible for the operational efficiency of all fleet units. On promotion to rear admiral in July 1999, Shalders was seconded to the Australian Customs Service as the inaugural Director General Coastwatch. He was appointed as head, Defence Personnel Executive in 2001. Shalders was promoted to vice admiral and appointed as Vice Chief of the Defence Force in July 2002. He was appointed an

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Go ...

in the Australia Day Honours list of 2003. On 23 May 2005, the Minister for Defence announced that Shalders would succeed Vice Admiral

Chris Ritchie Vice Admiral Christopher Angus Ritchie (born 16 January 1949) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy, who served as Chief of Navy from 2002 to 2005. Early life Ritchie was born in Melbourne on 16 January 1949 to Angus Lachl ...

as Chief of Navy from July 2005 for a three-year term. He retired from this position, and the navy, on 4 July 2008.

Personal

In his spare time, Shalders enjoys golf, jogging and gardening. Shalders' brother, Commodore Richard Shalders, was Commander Australian Navy Submarine Group (CANSG) until his retirement in July 2008.

References and notes

External links

Media release of appointment as Chief of NavyOfficial portraitcopyright
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shalders, Russ 1951 births Military personnel from Victoria (Australia) Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies Australian military personnel of the Gulf War Australian military personnel of the Vietnam War Chiefs of Navy (Australia) Graduates of the Royal Australian Naval College Living people Naval War College alumni Officers of the Order of Australia People from Ararat, Victoria Recipients of the Centenary Medal Recipients of the Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) Recipients of the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) Royal Australian Navy admirals Vice Chiefs of the Defence Force (Australia)