Professor Reade is an intensive care physician, anaesthetist and clinician scientist in the Australian Defence Force, since 2011 seconded to the University of Queensland as the inaugural Professor of Military Medicine and Surgery. He has deployed nine times, including twice to Afghanistan and three times to Iraq. He now holds the rank of Brigadier, responsible for all specialist clinical personnel in the Australian Army. His research interests are trauma systems design, fluid resuscitation in trauma, coagulopathy and the management of delirium in critical illness. His frozen platelet trial program, conducted with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, aims to improve worldwide access to this vital component of trauma resuscitation.