Chloe Dray
Gunggari woman
Captain
Australian Intelligence Corps
Australian Army
Medals and Awards
Australian Active Service Medal with clasp ICAT
Afghanistan Medal
Australian Service Medal with clasp Timor-Leste
Defence Long Service Medal
Australian Defence Medal
NATO Non-Article 5 Medal with clasp ISAF
Medalha Solidariedade de Timor-Leste (Timor-Leste Solidarity Medal)
United States Army Commendation Medal
Australian Defence Force Commendation – Bronze
Army Combat Badge
Returned from Active Service Badge
My family has been involved in military life for as long as I can remember. My dad served as an Instrument Fitter in the Royal Australian Air Force for more than a decade and then as an Instructor in the Australian Air Force Cadets. Both of my grandfathers also served: one in the Australian Army during World War Two and the other in the Royal Australian Navy in Korea, Malaya, and Japan.
Our family are Gunggari Mob from Mitchell in south-west Queensland. I grew up in Innisfail, North Queensland and wanted to join the Army and see the world. I’ve definitely done that with my work taking me to Singapore, Belgium, the Pacific and New Zealand for rugby union, deployments to East Timor and Afghanistan, and work trips to England, France and the United States of America.
One of my favourite postings was to North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE), one of three surveillance and reconnaissance units located across the top end of Australia. It has strong links with Aboriginal communities, especially those in remote areas and we patrolled those areas as part of border protection of remote north-western Australia. We covered an area of over 1.8 million square kilometres – the largest area of any military unit in the world today.
During my time in NORFORCE, it didn’t matter where you came from or if you were Indigenous or non-Indigenous; we were multiple skin groups working together to protect Country. It was known as ‘green skin’ – we were one unit protecting Country together.
As an Army Reserve Officer I have worked on a variety of exciting projects, including being a member of the Army Indigenous Cultural Advisory Board (AICAB) which provides cultural advice to Chief of Army on the implementation of the Army Indigenous Strategy. I have also been involved in the Australian Defence Force Pacific Sports program as a rugby union coach and World Rugby coach Trainer, running courses in the Pacific region and building capacity.
The Australian Army has provided me an incredibly fulfilling career, and I look back on it with great pride.