Rear Admiral Jack Steer, ONZM
Rear Admiral Jack Steer was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in January 1973 as a midshipman, specialising as a seaman officer.
In 1977 he was posted to the patrol craft HMNZS TAUPO as its Executive Officer. In 1978, after completing an Anti Submarine Aircraft Control Course in Australia he was posted to HMNZS WAIKATO as a Watchkeeping Officer. In 1979 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and in March of that year he successfully completed a ship’s diving course. This was followed, in February 1980, by a further watchkeeping appointment in HMNZS OTAGO.
In 1980 he was posted to the patrol craft HMNZS HAWEA as Officer in Command. Between October 1981 and July 1982 Commodore Steer completed Principle Warfare Officer training in the United Kingdom, and on his return to New Zealand was posted to HMNZS OTAGO as the Weapons Control Officer.
In 1983 RA Steer joined the newly-commissioned HMNZS SOUTHLAND as a Weapons Control Officer, and in December the following year he was appointed Operations Officer in that ship.
Between June and December 1988 Rear Admiral Steer completed staff training at the Royal Australian Naval Staff College. On his return to New Zealand he was posted to Naval Staff as Deputy Director of Underwater Warfare. In November 1989 he was posted to HMNZS SOUTHLAND as the Executive Officer and in May the following year was appointed Executive Officer in HMNZS WELLINGTON.
In 1991 Rear Admiral Steer was promoted to Commander. He completed the Joint Services Staff Course in Australia and was appointed to the staff of the Australian Defence Force Warfare Centre in Williamstown, Australia. In 1994 he took command of HMNZS WELLINGTON, which successfully contributed to the Multinational Interception Force operations in the Arabian Gulf, enforcing UN sanctions against Iraq. In mid 1996 he was appointed as the Fleet Operations Officer at Maritime Headquarters.
Rear Admiral Steer was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 1995 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
In 1998 he was appointed Military Adviser to the Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations, in New York. On completion of this posting in 2003 he undertook the Defence and Strategic Studies course at CDSS, Canberra and gained his Masters degree in Strategic Studies.
He was appointed Chief of Staff at Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand in January 2003 and on promotion to Commodore on 7 April 2004 was appointed Maritime Component Commander. In January 2005 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Navy.
In May 2005 he was promoted to Rear Admiral and took up the position as Commander Joint Forces New Zealand. On 17 October 2007 he was appointed Vice Chief of Defence Force and took up the position on 2 February 2008.
Rear Admiral Steer is married to Sally, and they have two children.