Commander Shaun Fogarty was born in Dunedin on 8 June 1968. After completing his secondary schooling at St Paul’s High School, he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Midshipman on the General List of Officers in the Supply specialisation on 25 January 1988.
Commander Fogarty currently holds the appointment of Director NZDF Command and Staff College, a position he has held since January 2010. Prior to this appointment he was the Director Defence Communications Group responsible for NZDF Media Operations and Defence Force internal and external communications management. Other postings in recent years have included Deputy Director Strategic Commitments (Logistics), Defence Advisor (Pacific), and HQJFNZ Logistics Operations Planner.
Commander Fogarty has conducted various operational deployments which have included United Nations Military Observer duties for 12 months in the Former Yugoslavia in 1996/97, and a six month posting to East Timor at the time of the referendum in 1999. He returned to East Timor in 2006 for a short period as a logistics planner for the 2/1 Company Group, and also served in HMNZS TE MANA for the Operation Enduring Freedom deployment to the Persian Gulf in 2003. In 2000 Commander Fogarty was appointed an additional Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of his operational service in East Timor in 1999.
Commander Fogarty has undertaken a variety of Sea postings which have included time under training in HMNZ Ships TUI), WELLINGTON, SOUTHLAND, and CANTERBURY. He has served as Supply Officer and Flight Deck Officer in HMNZS ENDEAVOUR (1995/96), and most recently as the Supply Officer, Flight Deck Officer and Public Relations Officer (2003/4).
During his Service career Commander Fogarty has gained a number of military qualifications, most recently in 2005 he successfully qualified PSC(J) at the ADF Command and Staff College. He has holds a Diploma in Logistics Management at the US Army Logistics Management College and was the honour student in his RNZN Junior Officer Staff Course.
His civilian academic qualifications include a Master of Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, a Graduate Certificate in Maritime Studies from the University of Wollongong, and a Diploma in Logistics Management, Massey University.
Sporting and other miscellaneous achievements include Commander Fogarty being appointed as the NZDF Planner for the 2007 dedication of the NZ Memorial in London. During this event he had the honour of serving a brief period as Equerry to HM Queen Elizabeth II. Commander Fogarty is currently the Chairman of RNZN Rugby and is also a member of the NZDF Rugby Committee. As a player in his younger days, Commander Fogarty represented the Navy in Rugby, Volleyball and Basketball.
Commander Fogarty is married to Felicity and has three daughters aged 5 – 11 yrs. He currently lives in Whitemans Valley, Upper Hutt. His interests include coaching/refereeing girls’ netball, attempts at landscape gardening and he continues to play rugby for the Trentham Army Presidents team.