Lieutenant Colonel Bernard (Berni) Velarde White Berni was born in Pasay City (Manila), Philippines and migrated to Australia in the late 1970’s. He was raised in Victoria and was educated at St Josephs (Christian Brothers) College Newtown in Geelong. He joined the Army in 1991 as an M198 Howitzer Gun Number in 38 Medium Bty, 2/10th Medium Regiment. He attended Royal Military College - Duntroon (RMC-D) in 1993, graduating to Artillery and serving in every regular Artillery Regiment (including the School of Artillery), during his career. His regimental postings have included Forward Observer in 'A' Field Battery (Parachute), Adjutant of 16th Air Defence Regiment and Battery Command of 131 Surveillance & Target Acquisition Battery. He has also served as a Troop Commander in the 6th Battalion, as a Recruit Instructor at 1st Recruit Training Battalion and both as a Tactics Master & Leadership Master at the RMC-D. Since graduating from Australian Command and Staff College in 2008, he has held a variety of Staff Positions; including Staff Officer Fire Support responsible for the successful 2nd Pass of LAND 17 Phase 1A (M777A2 Light Weight Howitzer, Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System and Digital Terminal Control System) at Capability Development Group. During 2011 he was the Military Assistant to two Forces Commanders at Victoria Barracks, Sydney. Whilst at that Headquarters he also led the force structure design and establishment transition to the Multi-role Combat Brigades under PLAN BEERSHEBA. As the Deputy G5 and Staff Officer Campaign Plans this included the design and implementation of the current Force Generation Cycle. His operational experience includes OP WARDEN (INTERFET) in East Timor in 1999-2000 as an 'A' Field Battery Forward Observer and as a 3rd Battalion Platoon Commander. In 2006 he, and his team, were the first Australian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Operators and Mission Commanders to graduate from Boeings Flight Training Facility in New Mexico, USA. He then deployed with Overwatch Battle Group-2 on OP CATALYST in Iraq as the first Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance Battery Commander. He adapted his sub-unit, the then independent 131 Surveillance & Target Acquisition Battery, into a composite Weapon Locating Radar and UAV unit. The UAVs flew the first 2000 unmanned Australian combat hours in support of coalition operations; primarily around Talill and then over Basra supporting the British Army. In 2007 he planned and then personally conducted the first technical reconnaissance for UAVs into Afghanistan. This activity established the long running UAV operations based at Tarin Kwot, as part of OP SLIPPER. Berni completed his third year of command at 16 Air Land Regiment in 2016. During his tenure he oversaw the introduction into service of the Sense Warn & Locate Capability; he designed and established the new Composite Air Land Battery, and the first Air Land Integration Cells to augment U.S. Pacific Command. Pursuit of innovative technology solutions, establishment of an Optimised Human Performance Program (encompassing physical resilience & mental welfare) and a heavy commitment to capability development of future Air Defence systems (LAND 19 and AIR 6500) were hallmarks of his command. Berni is a broadly experienced generalist, a proven commander both operationally and domestically; with very strong coalition ties in the Strategic Air & Missile Defence community, as well as the international multi-mission radar user group. He is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, with post graduate qualifications in Strategic Management. Berni is married to Liz and they have three young children in Middle and Elementary School. He took up the role of Assistant Military Attache, Australian Embassy Washington D.C. in July 2017.