The Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces is the highest-ranking military officer of in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, who is responsible for maintaining the operational command of the military. The current commander is Major General Jone Kalouniwai.
| Commander of Fiji Military Forces | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of Fiji | |
since September 2021 | |
| Member of | Republic of Fiji Military Forces |
| Reports to | Minister for National Security and Defence |
| Appointer | President of the Republic |
| Formation | 1971 |
| First holder | D. J. Aitken |
| Unofficial names | Commander RFMF |
| Deputy | Deputy Commander |
| Website | Official website |
List of commanders
editBritish rule
editDuring British rule, the Commanders were:[1]
| No. | Portrait | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| 2 | Major general William Cunningham (1883–1959) | 1940 | 1942 | 1–2 years | |
| 3 | Major general Owen Mead (1892–1942) | March 1942 | 25 July 1942 † | 0 years | |
| 4 | Brigadier John George Concanon Wales (1886–1967) | July 1942 | 1943 | 0–1 years | |
| 5 | Brigadier George Dittmer (1893–1979) | 1943 | 1945 | 1–2 years | |
| 6 | Colonel Clive Lochiel Pleasants (1910–1988) | 1949 | 1953 | 3–4 years | |
| 7 | Colonel Thomas Coats Campbell (1911–1984) | 1953 | 1956 | 2–3 years | |
| 8 | Colonel J. P. Sanders | 1956 | 1958 | 1–2 years | |
| 9 | Colonel R. W. Foubister (1910–?) | 1958 | 1960 | 1–2 years | |
| 10 | Colonel Robertson Mackay Paterson (1918–1972) | 1960 | 1962 | 1–2 years | |
| 11 | Colonel Frank Rennie (1918–1992) | 1966 | 1969 | 2–3 years | |
| 12 | Colonel John Moore Morris (1924–2017) | 1969 | 1971 | 1–2 years |
Independence
edit| No. | Portrait | Commander | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Commander-in-Chief | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigadier D. J. Aitken | 1971 | 1974 | 2–3 years | Army | Elizabeth II | [1] | |
| 2 | Colonel Paul Manueli (1934–2019) | 1974 | 1979 | 4–5 years | Army | Elizabeth II | [1][2] | |
| 3 | Colonel Ian Thorpe | 1979 | 1982 | 2–3 years | Army | Elizabeth II | [1] | |
| 4 | Colonel Epeli Nailatikau (born 1941) [a] | 1982 | 1987 | 4–5 years | Army | Elizabeth II | [1] | |
| 5 | Major general Sitiveni Rabuka (born 1948) [b] | 1987 | 1992 | 4–5 years | Army | Elizabeth II Himself Ganilau | [1] | |
| 6 | Major general Epeli Ganilau (1951–2023) | 1992 | 1 March 1999 | 6–7 years | Army | Ganilau Mara | [1] | |
| 7 | Commodore Frank Bainimarama (born 1954) [b] | 1 March 1999 | 5 March 2014 | 15 years, 4 days |  Republic of Fiji Navy | Mara Himself (twice) Iloilo Nailatikau | [1][3][4] | |
| 8 | Brigadier Mosese Tikoitoga | 5 March 2014 | 31 July 2015 | 1 year, 148 days | Army | Nailatikau | [1][5] | |
| 8 | Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto | 1 August 2015 Acting until December 2015 | 16 September 2021 | 6 years, 46 days | Republic of Fiji Navy | Nailatikau Konrote | [6] | |
| 9 | Brigadier General Jone Kalouniwai | September 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 1 month | Army | Konrote Katonivere | [7] |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Later served as President.
- ^ a b Later served as Prime Minister.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Commanders". Republic of Fiji Military Forces. 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
- ^ (23 December 2006). Military, GCC agree to talks Archived 2012-09-05 at the Wayback Machine, Fiji Times, Retrieved November 22, 2010
- ^ Fiji coup leader Frank Bainimarama quits military post for poll run Archived 6 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, The Australian, 5 March 2014, accessed 6 March 2014
- ^ Vuibau, Tevita (6 March 2014). "Military pays tribute to 'David'". Fiji Times Online. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ Vuibau, Tevita (6 March 2014). "By the book". Fiji Times Online. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Commander resigns - Fiji Times Online". www.fijitimes.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
- ^ "Brigadier General Jone Kalouniwai is the new Commander of Fiji's Miilitary Forces". Pacific Islands News Association. Retrieved 25 September 2021.