Spirit of the Alliance Dinner
Americans and Australians are united by a shared belief in freedom, openness and optimism – values that have underpinned our Alliance for more than a century.
Timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea (4–8 May), the Spirit of the Alliance Dinner honours the courage, ‘mateship’ and sacrifice of American and Australian service personnel. Now in its second year, it is fast becoming Australia’s premier celebration of the Alliance.
The Dinner convenes senior leaders from defence, government and industry to honour veterans, showcase the strength of our bilateral partnership, and raise vital funds for the American Australian Association Veterans’ Scholarship Fund. Since 2017, the Fund has awarded more than AU$4 million to over 70 veterans pursuing postgraduate study in each other’s countries.
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
Reception 6:30 PM
Dinner 7:30 PM
Australian War Memorial
Treloar Crescent
Campbell ACT 2612
Contact
Libbi Swan
[email protected]
Patron of Australian Veterans
Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC CSC OAM
Chief of Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC CSC OAM joined the Royal Australian Air Force in January 1993, graduating from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts.
He completed Pilot’s Course in 1997, F/A-18 Operational Conversion in 1998, and Fighter Combat Instructor course in 2001. Following instructional and flight commander assignments, he was the inaugural exchange officer with the United States Air Force 65th Aggressor Squadron.
Air Marshal Chappell has held command appointments at Squadron, Wing and Component levels and has accumulated over 2,900 flying hours on the F/A-18A, F-15C, F/A-18F and EA18G.
Senior staff appointments include Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force late in 2017, supporting both Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC and General Angus Campbell AO DSC; and as the Head of Military Strategic Commitments, responsible for the strategic level management and situational awareness of current and potential Australian Defence Force commitments, until his selection as Chief of Air Force and promotion to Air Marshal in July 2024.
Operationally, Air Marshal Chappell deployed to the Middle East with No. 75 Squadron on Operation Falconer in 2003, and with No 1 Squadron in 2014 contributing to the Air Task Group commitment to Operation Okra.
Air Marshal Chappell received a Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding achievement in air combat development and preparedness as Commander of No. 1 Squadron in January 2017, and a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) in recognition of his ‘distinguished command and leadership’ on Operation Okra in June 2017.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for meritorious service to the Royal Australian Air Force in the field of Air Combat in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours; and received the United States Meritorious Service Medal for performing outstanding services as Assistant Director of Operations, 65th Aggressor Squadron December 2005 – December 2007.
In 2013, Air Marshal Chappell attended the Australian Command and Staff College, completing a Master of Military and Strategic Studies and was awarded the Chief of Air Force prize. He graduated the Defence Strategic Studies Course at the Australian War College in 2017. He has also completed the Pinnacle General and Flag Officer Course at the National Defense University in Washington, DC.
He is a keen student of history, an avid reader, and enjoys a multitude of sports.
Patron of American Veterans
Erika Olson
CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES
U.S. EMBASSY IN AUSTRALIA
Erika Olson is the Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim for the United States in Australia, where she manages the U.S.-Australia bilateral relationship through the Embassy in Canberra and Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. From 2021-2023, she held the post of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State overseeing policy for Southern Europe and the Caucasus. As Director for Regional Political Military Affairs in Europe she guided U.S. participation at NATO and the OSCE. From 2019-2021 she directed the Office of Northern Europe, the Baltics, and Arctic Security.
While serving as Economic Counselor for the United States Mission in Turkey from 2016-2019, she won the Department’s Herbert Salzman Award for Excellence in International Economic Performance. She served as Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia; Deputy Political Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia; Political Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Consul and Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. In Washington she was Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff to Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Heather Higginbottom and worked in the Secretary of State’s Operations Center.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Ms. Olson worked alongside Ambassador Robert Oakley at the National Defense University on conflict and resilience. She advised the Director General of the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Department of Commerce and worked for Microsoft and the Mitsui Corporation. Erika holds a M.A. in Foreign Affairs with a concentration in international economic policy from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and a B.A. with Honors in psychology and Japanese studies from Whitman College. She studied at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. She speaks Turkish and Russian, and has studied Japanese, Georgian, and Slovak.
