CUMMING, Lieut Col Ian Roderick CSC Lieut. Col. Ian Cumming was formally awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross on the Queen's Birthday Honours List, 2006 on 12 June for outstanding achievement while performing the duties of Commanding Officer of Engineer Squadron Group, Australia Defence Force Operation Sumatra Assist.
Lieutenant Colonel Cumming has served in numerous overseas appointments during his career. In late 1997 he took long service leave to work with the humanitarian organisation, Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief, as the Technical Adviser to the Head of Mission, United Nations High
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Ian Cumming, 2006.
Commissioner for Refugees, Monrovia in Liberia for a period of three months.
In 1998, he served as a United Nations Military Observer in East Timor for which he was awarded a Force Commander's Commendation for his role in designing the East Timor Defence Force.
In 2001, he deployed 21 Construction Squadron to Nauru to build temporary accommodation facilities as part of the Government's 'Pacific Solution' to illegal immigration. The unit was awarded a CA's Group Commendation for its role. In 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Cumming deployed to Indonesia on Operation Sumatra Assist as commander of the Engineer Group, for which he was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross. He was named the Northern Division of the Institute of Engineers Australia, Professional Engineer of the Year for 2005.’
He attended Geelong College from 1978 to 1983 having previously attended Werribee State School. At College he was a keen hockey player and a nmember of the 1st Hockey Team in 1982 and 1983. In 1982 he won the E R Scott Instrumentalist Prize in Music. He was also a House Prefect in 1983
Sources: Ad Astra No 111 December 2006 p26.