Major General Jason Blain

Head Armoured Vehicle Division, CASG Australian Department of Defence

Major General Jason Blain was born in Mossman, north Queensland, and completed his schooling in Ingham. After attaining a Bachelor of Arts, he attended the Royal Military College Duntroon, graduating into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1991.

As a combat arms officer he has commanded at all levels within the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) and was the Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion RAR from 2008 to 2009. He was privileged to be the Commander of the 7th Brigade, one of Army’s three combat brigades, from 2020 to 2021.

On promotion to Major General in December 2021 he was appointed the Head of Armoured Vehicles. In December 2023 the Division was merged into the Land Systems Division and Major General Blain was appointed into his current position as the Head of Land Systems.

Major General Blain’s overseas and operational experience includes a two-year exchange with the Canadian Forces, company command in East Timor, command of Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia, and service in Afghanistan. During 2007, he was an operations officer in ISAF Headquarters in Kabul. From January to June 2010 he commanded Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1) in Uruzgan Province. The task force was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation in recognition of sustained outstanding service during an intensive operational tour. In the same year he also served as the inaugural Deputy Commander of Combined Team Uruzgan. For his service in Afghanistan he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

On promotion to Colonel in 2011, he was privileged to establish ‘Diggerworks’ within what was then the Defence Materiel Organisation. Diggerworks transformed the way Army designs, integrates and delivers the soldier combat system. In 2013 he was seconded to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) as the Senior Adviser for Defence Policy and Operations. In 2014 he served as the Director of Military Commitments-Army where he was responsible for Army’s support to operations and preparedness. His early staff roles also include serving in the Directorate of Officer Career Management-Army, for which he was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross.

As a senior officer, Major General Blain has served in a variety of strategic level appointments. From 2016 to 2018 he was the inaugural Director General Force Options and Plans in Force Design Division, where he was responsible for designing and prioritising joint force capability requirements. From 2019 to 2020 he served on a second secondment to PM&C, leading the Defence and Intelligence Branch in the National Security Division followed by the Global Interests Branch in International Division. His responsibilities included advising the Prime Minister on ADF operations, Defence capability, and international policy. For his service in Force Design, PM&C and as Commander 7th Brigade, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Major General Blain is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, the Defence and Strategic Studies Course, the Australian Command and Staff Course, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and the Indian Army Higher Defence Orientation Course. In addition to his Bachelor’s degree, he holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Management.

Major General Blain is a director on the board of Melbourne Legacy and has a strong interest in the wellbeing of serving members, veterans and their families. He is married to Susan and they have a daughter, Eliza, and son, Tom. He enjoys military history, mountain biking, rugby league, and working on his fishing skills.