Pacific Perspective:Australian General Officer Begins 4th Year as DIA Deputy Director for Commonwealth Integration

On 15 January 2021,MAJGEN Michelle McGuiness of the Australian Defence Force was appointed Deputy Director for Commonwealth Integration by the DOD Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).In this role,MAJGEN McGuiness ensures that DIA and the broader U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) are best positioned to cooperate,collaborate and integrate with key international Partners ,facilitating cordial intelligence relationships.Her position of Deputy Director for Commonwealth Integration focuses on stengthening ties and information sharing between the United States and its Commenwealth Partners,which include Australia,New Zealand ,the UK and Canada (FIVEEYES Alliance).MAGJEN McGuiness' expertise contributes to enhancing intellligence collaboration across borders,ultimately supporting national security and defence efforts.Her responsibilities involve fostering communication;joint operations;and strategic alignment with Commonwealth nations.By working closely with international counterparts,MAJGEN McGuinnes helps ensure that intelligence flows seemlessly,enabling effective decison making and coordinated response to global challenges.In summary,MAJGEN McGuinness plays a vital role in promoting intelligence integration between Commonwealth countries and the United States,contributing to a safer and more secure world.Her role is the practical embodiment of the major Partner integration lines of effort expressed in the 2022 U.S. National Defense Strategy,the 2021 Defense Intelligence Strategy,and the 2021 Interim National Security Strategy.*Biographical notes:Michelle has served in a range of tactical,operational,and strategic assignments in both General and Staff appointments.She began her career in 1994 at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA),graduating into the Australian Intelligence Corps,and spending her formative years at the tactical level leading and managing intelligence operations in human intelligence (HUMINT),interrogation,and exploitation initiatives.Since 2005,she has served in key roles focusing on Partner engagement and interoperability,including within the U.S.,as a liason officer within the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).*She continued her career at Australian Army Headquarters in support of service-level engagement programmes for several nations.For her service in the U.S.,she has twice been awarded the U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal.*In 2024,she returned to ADFA as the Chief Instructor and Commanding Officer.In 2016,she served as Assistant Military Attache at the Australian Embassy in Washington,DC.For her service in these appointments,she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross.*Her other senior officer appointments include Chief of Staff to the Chief of Defence Force and Director General,Counterproliferation and Terrorism at the Australian Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO),where she led interagency efforts supporting whole-of-government counterproliferation missions.*Michelle's deployments include Timor-Leste and the Soloman Islands,and her service at the JIEDDO in 2006 was in direct support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.*Michelle holds a BA (Politics and Bahasa Indonesian) and a Master of International Public Policy with Distinction from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.She graduated from the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program and the Australian Institute Company of Directors.Michelle is married with two amazing school-aged children and enjoys travelling as a family,exploring food and the outdoors,and being active in her community.*Michelle spoke at the DGI 2024 Conference at the Focus Day on 11 March 2024 at the Queen Elizabeth Centre,London - DGI:Geospatial Intelligence for Defence and Security,20th Anniversary.She also spoke at the DODIIS Worldwide Event 2023:We share challenges,we come together,and together we are stronger.She noted that enabling collaboration and rapid,secure information exchange is key to leveraging the full and unparalleled advantage of Allies and Partners.