Retired General Peter Cosgrove will be Australia's next Governor-General.
In March, the former chief of the defence force will become the nation's 26th head of state.
General Peter Cosgrove with the Queen at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Photo: AFP pool (file)
Despite having spent most of his life in the military, he says that won't dominate his term of office. He also vows to steer clear of politics when he takes up the role.
"It's my great pleasure and honour to announce that Australia's next governor-general will be General Peter Cosgrove," said Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday.
"Throughout his life he has demonstrated a commitment to our country and a commitment to service."
General Cosgrove, 69, will replace Quentin Bryce whose term ends in March. She was appointed governor-general by former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2007.
He admitted he had once believed he wasn't suited to the role, but that times change and duty calls.
"If you foresee that there's a call to arms, so to speak, as an old soldier you just get on with it," he said on Tuesday.
General Cosgrove, 69, has long been the frontrunner to succeed Quentin Bryce, whose term ends in March.
A Vietnam veteran, he became head of INTERFET, the multinational peacekeeping force to East Timor in 1999 and chief of the Australian army in 2000 and chief of the defence force in 2002.
He has since worked as Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University and as a board member of Qantas and the Australian Rugby Union.