Allegiance Australia Battles and wars Iraq War Years of service 1978 – present | Battles/wars Iraq War Rank Rear admiral Name Michael Balen | |
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Born 16 February 1961 (age 63)
Brisbane, Queensland ( 1961-02-16 ) Commands held Deputy Chief of Navy
HMAS Watson
HMAS Sydney Awards Officer of the Order of Australia
Commendation for Distinguished Service
Officer of the Legion of Merit (United States) | ||
Service/branch Royal Australian Navy | ||
Rear Admiral Michael Julian van Balen (born 16 February 1961) is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), who served as the Deputy Chief of Navy from 2013 to January 2016.
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Early life
van Balen was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 16 February 1961 to Adrian and Cath van Balen.
Naval career
van Balen joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1978 and graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1982.
van Balen has served in a various billets within the Australian naval high command and United States Navy commands.
He has served on board a variety of Royal Australian Navy ships including HMA ships Barbette, Brisbane, Stalwart, Stuart, Yarra, Bunbury, Derwent, Swan and the United States Navy ship USS Ranger, a Forrestal-class aircraft carrier.
van Balen completed a Master of Management degree from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2001. He attended the US Naval War College in 2005.
RADM van Balen has also been awarded the RAN's "Principal Warfare Officer" badge and the RAN's "Sea Readiness Badge".