Air Commodore Chris Sawade CSC. A person of many talents

Air Commodore Chris Sawade, CSC, joined the Royal Australian Air Force in January 1974 and on graduation from pilot training he was posted to fly helicopters with No 5 Squadron.   Between 1976 and 1988, Chris completed operational and flying instructional tours throughout Australia, the South West Pacific and the Middle East, flying Huey and Squirrel helicopters and CT4 and Macchi Trainers.   In 1988, Chris was posted to No. 38 Squadron where he served as Training Flight Commander and Executive Officer flying Caribou.   He served as the Australian Member of the Air Standardization Coordinating Committee located with the United States Air Force Headquarters in Washington DC from 1997 to 2000.   Chris Sawade was promoted into the position of Deputy Director Aviation Capability Improvement Team in February 2003. In March 2004 he took over the position of Director of Flying Safety - ADF / Director of Air Force Safety.   He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2006 for his efforts in the introduction of the Safety Management System into the Air Force.   In January 2006 he was appointed to Officer Commanding Air Training Wing.   Air Commodore Sawade was then appointed as Commander of Combat Support Group in  2008.   From March to November 2012, he deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations as the Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force 633 covering an area of joint operations from Afghanistan, through the Middle East and Indian Ocean to the Seychelles.    He was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his efforts in that position   He retired from the Permanent Air Force in Feb 2013 and took up the Reserve position as Head of Air Shows