Brigadier John Fenwick commissioned from the Royal Military College in 1992 to Australian Army Aviation and qualified as an Army helicopter pilot in June of 1994.
Brigadier Fenwick has commanded both 161 and 162 Reconnaissance Squadrons as well as the 1st Aviation Regiment. During command of 1st Aviation Regiment he introduced the Tiger helicopter into the Australian Army. Prior to those commands, he served as a pilot in 162 Reconnaissance Squadron flying Kiowa, 9 Regiment Army Air Corps flying AH-1 Gazelles, and 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where he flew the OH58-D(I) Kiowa Warrior and was the Squadron Assistant S3. For his service at Fort Campbell he was awarded the United States Meritorious Service Medal.
Brigadier Fenwick has served on operations in East Timor in 2003 as a United Nations Military Observer (OP CITADEL) as well as deploying 162 Reconnaissance Squadron to East Timor (OP ASTUTE) in 2006. In 2012/2013 as a colonel, he deployed to the Headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan as the Director for Security Transition.
Staff appointments have seen Brigadier Fenwick serve as the Adjutant, 1st Aviation Regiment, the Staff Officer (Grade 2) Combat Aviation in Army's Force Development Group, and the Deputy Director of National Military Operations in the Headquarters of Defence Force Recruiting. In 2012 he was the Military Assistant to the Chief of Army. He was the Director for Close Combat and Special Operations projects in the Capability Development Group for the period 2013-2015 and most recently served as the Chief of Staff to the Australian Special Operations Command in 2017.
Brigadier Fenwick has graduated from the Australian Command & Staff and the Defence & Strategic Studies Courses at the Australian Defence College. In addition to his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Information Systems, Brigadier Fenwick has a Master’s in Business Administration, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He is a non-executive director on the Board of the Macular Disease Foundation of Australia.