Peter Francis LeahyAC HonFAIB FRSN is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army, whose military career culminated with his appointment as Chief of the Army from 2002 until 2008. He has been director of the National Security Institute, University of Canberra, since October 2008.
Leahy was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Army on 28 June 2002. His appointment was extended by a further three years in June 2005, and he retired from the Army on 3 July 2008. Leahy is the longest serving incumbent of the position since General Sir Harry Chauvel in the 1920s, and the only Chief of Army with no operational service in a theatre of war. His honours and awards represent distinguished, long and overseas exchange service not involving combat or operational duties. While he often visited Australian troops deployed on combat duties overseas during his time as Chief of Army he was never himself posted to the force establishment of any operational unit. In 1995, Leahy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, and in 2002 was upgraded to Officer. In the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours List, he was elevated to Companion, He was recognised internationally with the award of the United States of America Legion of Merit in the rank of Commander, the Republic of Singapore Meritorious Service Medal, the Cambodian Royal Order of Sahametrei in the rank of Commander, the Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valour in the rank of Gallant Commander
Post-military
On 19 September 2008, Leahy joined the board of Codan. On 7 October 2008, he joined the staff of the University of Canberra as a Professor and foundation director of the National Security Institute. On 4 May 2009 he joined the board of Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd. He is Chairman of the North Queensland Defence Advisory Board, a member of the First Principles Review of the Department of Defence and in November 2014 was appointed to the board of Citadel Group Limited. In work related to charities he is Chairman of the Board for the wounded veterans charity Soldier On, Chairman of the Australian International Military Games, the organisation that will bring the Invictus Games to Sydney in 2018, and serves on the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Committee in the Australian Capital Territory. In September 2014, Peter Leahy was formally inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building by the Governor General of Australia His Excellency, General the Honorable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC. In February 2018, the then Governor of New South Wales, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurely AC DSC formally promulgated the election of Peter Leahy as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales in the NSW Government Gazette. As of 2018, Leahy was the patron of the Military Historical Society of Australia, having taken over from retired Air Marshal Barry Gration.
