Warrant Officer Class One Anthony Hortle was born in Canberra in 1968 and completed his secondary schooling at Mt St Patricks, and Tweed River High Schools on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales.

Warrant Officer Class One Anthony Hortle joined the Australian Regular Army in March 1987, and on completion of Recruit Training was allocated to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. After completing Initial Employment Training as an Operator Command Post Air Defence, he was posted to the 16th Air Defence Regiment, Woodside South Australia. He has predominantly served with the 16th Air Defence Regiment fulfilling the full range of appointments, from Gunner Signaller to Sergeant Rapier Air Defence System Commander.

In 1994 he participated on Exercise Long Look, serving with 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, Germany, working with Tracked Rapier Air Defence System. In 2000 he was posted to the School of Artillery, Puckapunyal, as an Instructor Ground Based Air Defence.

In 2001 he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two and posted back to 16th Air Defence Regiment as a Troop Sergeant Major. During this appointment he saw active service with a Troop on-board HMAS Kanimbla during Operation SLIPPER, The War on Terror.

In June 2002 he undertook Long Term Schooling, based from the Combat Arms Training Centre, where he completed several courses in relation to Ground Based Air Defence. This led to his posting and appointment as the Senior Sergeant Major Instructor Gunnery Ground Based Air Defence at the School of Artillery in 2003.

In 2005 he was posted back to the 16th Air Defence Regiment as a Battery Sergeant Major. During this appointment he deployed to Malaysia as the Company Sergeant Major, Rifle Company Butterworth Rotation 73.

He was promoted to Warrant Officer Class One in 2007 and appointed the Regimental Sergeant Major Instructor Gunnery Ground Based Air Defence. In 2009 he was appointed as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Adelaide Universities Regiment.

In 2010 he was appointed as the Regimental Sergeant Major of 16th Air Defence Regiment. During this time the Regiment went under dramatic change, and in 2012 became the 16th Air Land Regiment. In August 2012 he deployed to Afghanistan as the G7 Training Resources with the Afghan National Army Officer Academy Project Team.

In 2013 he took up his current appointment as Regimental Sergeant Major of the School of Artillery.