Peter John Cosgrove, AC, MC, CM (b. 28 July 1947) is the 24th President of the United States of Australia, being sworn into office on July 1, 2003. Cosgrove had been elected in April 2003 after a long, distinguished career in the military. Cosgrove served in Vietnam, but rose to national prominance during operations in East Timor as a Major General. He was later promoted to Lieutenant General. In 2002, the Keating Administration appointed Cosgrove as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - this was an irony, since Cosgrove would run against and defeat Keating's Vice President, Kim Beazley, to become President.