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The Australian Defence Force has passed a major milestone with Squadron Leader Talia Hedges becoming the first Reserve cyber specialist under a new Cyber Reserve Force entry process.
Squadron Leader Talia Hedges received her Air Force rank slides from Director General Cyber Domain Support Air Commodore Richard Lennon during an appointment ceremony at Canberra’s Majura Park, surrounded by family, colleagues, and Defence personnel.
SQNLDR Hedges is now the first person appointed through Defence’s new direct-entry Cyber Reserve Force pathway.
“I always had enormous respect for the people who serve,” SQNLDR Hedges said.
“I never thought military service was something I could do myself. I thought that ship had sailed.
“Technology has to work for the people using it … You can build something technically brilliant, but if it doesn’t help people achieve their mission, then you’ve missed the point.”
“You can’t defend what you can’t see … It’s about understanding our operating environment so we can identify risks, recognise threats and make informed decisions about where to focus our efforts.”
After growing up in Canberra, SQNLDR Hedges began her career as a receptionist in executive recruitment before moving into government technology roles and later supporting Defence as a civilian contractor.
Today, she works at Google Cloud, helping government agencies adopt secure and scalable technologies, from infrastructure and analytics to emerging capabilities such as artificial intelligence.
More than a decade into her career, she has joined the Air Force while continuing her civilian role, bringing current industry expertise and an ability to translate emerging technology into practical outcomes for Defence.
“(The Cyber Reserve Force pathway) allows Defence to draw on people who are working with these technologies every day, while giving them the opportunity to serve,” she said.
“When you’re inside an organisation, it can sometimes be difficult to see what’s happening elsewhere.
“One of the benefits of working across different sectors is being exposed to different ways of thinking and solving problems.
“If someone is sitting there thinking they’re not the typical Defence recruit, I’d say don’t rule yourself out … There are different ways to serve, and the traditional pathway into Defence isn’t the only one.”
Colonel John Molnar from Director Cyber Reserves said the appointment demonstrated the value of creating new pathways for Australians with specialist cyber skills.
“People like Talia bring a wealth of experience from industry, government and the wider technology sector,” COL Molnar said.
“That’s exactly what the Cyber Reserve Force is designed to achieve. It gives experienced professionals the opportunity to serve their country while continuing the civilian careers that keep their skills current and relevant.”
Established following the Defence Reserve Review, the Cyber Reserve Force enables Defence to access specialist expertise from industry, government, and academia that can be difficult to generate or sustain through traditional workforce models alone.
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