Brigadier Mark Wheeler, ONZM

Brigadier Mark Wheeler was born on 13 September 1956 in Christchurch. He attended secondary school in the South Island at Ashburton College and James Hargest High School, attaining University Entrance.

Brigadier Wheeler enlisted into the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps as a Trooper in June 1975 and was posted to Queen Alexandra's Squadron, Waiouru.  In February 1977, he was posted to 1st Squadron New Zealand Scottish, Burnham.  During his posting, Brigadier Wheeler was promoted to Lance Corporal and subsequently to Corporal in March 1979.

Brigadier Wheeler commenced Officer Cadet training at the Officer Cadet Training Company in Waiouru in January 1980.  He graduated as a Second Lieutenant into the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps and was posted to Waiouru Training Depot in December 1980.  In March 1981, he was posted to Queen Alexandra's Squadron and employed as a Troop Commander.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1982. 

Brigadier Wheeler was posted to 2nd Squadron, New Zealand Scottish, Dunedin in April 1984 and assumed the appointment of RF Cadre Officer. In March 1986, Brigadier Wheeler was posted to Queen Alexandra's Squadron, and promoted to Captain and assumed the appointment of Technical Officer. Brigadier Wheeler was posted to Army General Staff in May 1988 as the Staff Captain Military Secretary.
 
Brigadier Wheeler deployed overseas with the New Zealand Contingent United Nations Iran/Iraq Military Observers Group in August 1988.  On his return to New Zealand 15 months later in November 1989, he was posted to Trentham Army Camp as the Adjutant Base Area Wellington. Brigadier Wheeler was then posted to the Staff Officer Co-ordination position and promoted to Major in July 1991, when Base Area Wellington was restructured and retitled the Wellington Regional Support Unit. Brigadier Wheeler was posted to the 1st Armoured Group, Waiouru in December 1991 and assumed the appointment of Squadron Commander, Queen Alexandra’s Squadron.

In November 1993 Brigadier Wheeler attended the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College, Haigate.  On successful completion of Staff College he was posted to the Land Warfare Training Centre, Pulada Malaysia as an Instructor. Brigadier Wheeler returned to New Zealand in December 1996 and assumed the appointment of Instructor, Tactical School, Waiouru. In December 1998 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and posted to the appointment of Commanding Officer, Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles. During this appointment he deployed on Operation Farina, in East Timor, as the Chief of Staff, Dili Command, from September 1999 to May 2000.

In December 2000 Brigadier Wheeler was posted to Linton Army Camp as the Chief of Staff Headquarters 2nd Land Force Group. For much of 2001 he was the Acting Commander. In December 2001, on promotion to Colonel he assumed the appointment of Commander 2nd Land Force Group. He relinquished command in December 2002 and the following month commenced a twelve month course of study at the Australian Defence College, Canberra. On completion of this course he received a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies.

On return to New Zealand in December 2003 Brigadier Wheeler assumed the appointment of ACGS Policy & Plans within Army GS.  During this posting he was seconded as the Project Leader, of the Army Configuration Review and then the Army Transformation Project.   In March 2006 on promotion to Acting Brigadier, he assumed the appointment as the Senior National Representative, New Zealand Planning Element on the Headquarters of United States Central Command, Tampa in Florida.  In January 2008, on promotion to Brigadier he assumed the appointment as Assistant Chief of Personnel, Headquarters New Zealand Defence Force, Wellington.  In November 2010 Brigadier Wheeler assumed the appointment as Land Component Commander, Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand, Upper Hutt.