Susan Coyle

About

Susan Coyle

Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, AM, CSC, DSM

Australian Army

Lieutenant General Susan Coyle enlisted as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987 before completing a Science degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduating from the Royal Military College in 1992 into the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. Appointed Chief of Joint Capabilities Group in July 2024, Lieutenant General Coyle is proud to be the first female to lead a warfighting and operational domain.

Lieutenant General Coyle has worked at the tactical, operational and strategic level in a variety of command, and Army and Joint staff appointments. She has commanded at every rank, including Commander Forces Command, Commander Joint Task Force 633 (CJTF633), Commander 6th Brigade, Commander Task Group Afghanistan and Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. She has seen operational service in East Timor, Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Lieutenant General Coyle holds post-graduate qualifications from the United States Army War College, University of New England, and University of Canberra. She is an alumnus of the Harvard Advanced Management Program.

Lieutenant General Coyle was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia as Commander Joint Task Force 633, a Distinguished Service Medal as Deputy Commander JTF 636 / Commander Task Group Afghanistan on Operation SLIPPER / HIGHROAD, and a Conspicuous Service Cross as Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment.

Lieutenant General Coyle is married to Mark, an Engineer in the Army, and together they have three wonderful and mostly charming millennials – Jessica, Susie, and Jack. Her hobbies include attending musical theatre, reading anything and travelling anywhere. Her passion remains supporting veterans and their families through a People First approach. She is Patron for both 42for42.org and ADFRU.