[1] He commanded fighter and air transport operations on Operation Falconer in 2003—for which he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and made a Legionnaire of the Legion of Merit by the United States[2][3]—before becoming Officer Commanding Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems Program Office later that year.

[1] Brown was appointed Chief of Air Force on 4 July 2011,[4][5][6] and was advanced to Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2012 Australia Day Honours for "distinguished service to the Royal Australian Air Force".

[7] On 4 April 2014, it was announced that Brown would continue as the Chief of Air Force for an extra twelve months, to July 2015.

[8] Brown was a major proponent of Australia purchasing the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft.

[9] After retiring from the Air Force, he took a paid position with the plane's manufacturer, as a member of the board of Lockheed Martin Australia.