▁information ▁systems . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁be ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁brig ad ier ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army . ▁ ▁She ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Corpor ate ▁Services ▁and ▁In frastr ucture ▁Group ▁of ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Department ▁as ▁the ▁Director ▁General ▁Reg ions ▁and ▁B ases . ▁In ▁this ▁position ▁she ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁integrated ▁service ▁delivery ▁to ▁Def ence ▁bases ▁across ▁Australia . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁she ▁assumed ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Head ▁Def ence ▁Support ▁Oper ations ▁in ▁an ▁acting ▁capacity . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁role ▁was ▁confirmed ▁and ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁be ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army . ▁She ▁is ▁the ▁second ▁female ▁to ▁be ▁promoted ▁to ▁two - star ▁rank ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁Def ence ▁Force , ▁the ▁first ▁being ▁Air ▁Vice ▁Marsh al ▁Jul ie ▁Ham mer , ▁who ▁retired ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁Cos son , ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁National ▁Oper ations ▁within ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Support ▁Group , ▁became ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁ 8 0 ▁A DF ▁bases ▁and ▁g arr isons ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁At ▁that ▁time , ▁although ▁about ▁ 1 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁A DF ▁were ▁women , ▁there ▁were ▁only ▁four ▁at ▁the ▁one - star ▁level : ▁Com mod ore ▁Rob yn ▁Walker , ▁Com mod ore ▁V icki ▁Mc