Errol McCormack


Errol John McCormack AO is a retired senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force, who served as Chief of Air Force from May 1998 to June 2001.

Early life

McCormack was born in Bundaberg, Queensland, on 30 August 1941 to Horace McCormack and his wife Ida. He was educated at Bundaberg State High School.

Service career

McCormack was commissioned in 1963 and served in Malaysia and Singapore during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, and subsequently took part in the Vietnam War. He served as commanding officer of No. 1 Squadron RAAF in the 1980s. He was made commanding officer of No. 82 Wing RAAF in 1987, Director General Force Development Air at Headquarters, Australian Defence Force in Canberra in 1989 and Air Attaché in Washington D. C. in 1993. In 1995 he became Commander for the Integrated Air Defence System at Butterworth in Malaysia.
He was appointed Deputy Chief of Air Force in 1997 and Chief of Air Force in May 1998 before he retired in 2001. In retirement he became Chairman of Chemring Australia Pty Ltd.
He became an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1998.

Honours and awards







Officer of the Order of Australia 1998
Member of the Order of Australia 1993
General Service Medal
Vietnam Medal
Australian Service Medal 1945-1975
Centenary Medal2001
Defence Force Service Medal with 4 claspsfor 35–39 years of service
National Medalfor 15 years of service
Australian Defence Medal2006
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Pingat Jasa Malaysia 2004