Major General Giles J.S. Cornelia is the Deputy Commanding General - Strategy and Plans for the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), located at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
Prior to his arrival at USARPAC, Major General Cornelia served as the Commander of the 7th Brigade - the high-readiness, rapidly deployable Ready Brigade of the Australian Army. His other senior appointments include Director General Force Structure, Vice Chief of Defence Group; Director Force Structure – Army, Army Headquarters; Division Chief, Coalition Strategy Division, Deputy Directorate Global Integration, Strategy, Plans and Policy J5, The Joint Staff. Over three postings, he served for over a decade in 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment in parachute and light infantry roles - including the privilege of being Commanding Officer over 2015-17.
Major General Cornelia’s operational experience includes: Commander Joint Task Group 637.3, over the Solomon Islands National Government elections, 2024; Commanding Officer of the Australian/New Zealand Training Task Unit in Iraq in 2017; as a combined brigade-level Plans Chief within Regional Command-South, Afghanistan in 2011; with International Stabilisation Force in 2008 as Adjutant Timor Leste Battle Group - 4; and service as a platoon commander with United Nations Transitional Authority East Timor in 2002; and with International Force East Timor in 2000. Major General Cornelia also served as the Airborne Force Commander for a series of Tactical Air-Land Operations during joint exercises over 2024-25.
Major General Cornelia holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History/Politics and a Graduate Diploma of Arts in War Studies from the University of New South Wales, and a Master of Military Studies, with Merit, from the Australian National University. Major General Cornelia was awarded the Governor-General's, the Secretary of Defence's, the Chief of Army's, and the Chief of Joint Operations' Prizes on graduation from Australian Command and Staff College in 2012. He is also a graduate of the Royal Military College - Duntroon, and the Australian Defence Force Academy. Major General Cornelia attended the Joint Task Force Commanders' Course in 2023 and the Cranlana Colloquium in 2022.
Major General Cornelia's awards include the Distinguished Service Medal; the Conspicuous Service Medal; the U.S. Legion of Merit (degree of Legionnaire); and the U.S. Army Commendation Medal and an ADF Gold Commendation.
He is married and together they have two daughters.