Warrant Officer Class One Matthew Sullivan was born and raised in the wheat belt town of Varley, Western Australia. He enlisted into the Australian Regular Army on the 28th of February 1989 and was allocated to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery as an Artillery Driver.

His initial years of service were as a Driver, Signaller, Operator Command Post (Field) and Gun Number in 4th Field Regiment, rising to the rank of Sergeant. During this period he deployed non-operationally to Rifle Company Butterworth and Exercise Temple Jade with the 2nd /4th Battalion, Exercise Tasman Exchange with 108th Field Battery in New Zealand as a Gun Detachment Commander and operationally as a Signal Detachment Commander to the United Nations Transitional Authority – Cambodia (UNTAC) and as a Platoon Sergeant, Golf Company with the 3rd Battalion to the International Stabilisation Force – East Timor (INTERFET).

In 2000 he was posted to the Royal Military College – Duntroon initially as a Field Training then Drill Instructor. This was followed by promotion to Warrant Officer Class Two and a posting as the Sergeant Major Instructor Gunnery (SMIG) 7th Field Battery, Perth, Western Australia. In 2003 Warrant Officer Sullivan was posted to the Queens Gunnery Staff as the Royal Australian Artillery Exchange Warrant Officer at the United Kingdom School of Artillery – Larkhill.

Returning to Australia in 2006, Warrant Officer Sullivan was posted back to 108th Field Battery, 4th Field Regiment as a Battery Sergeant Major (BSM). During his tenure as BSM, he deployed with the battery non-operationally to New Caledonia and operationally as Golf Company with the 3rd Battalion to East Timor.  

In 2008, he was posted on promotion to Warrant Officer Class One as the Artillery Advisor to the Land 17 (Artillery Replacement Project), Land System Division, Defence Materiel Organisation. During his posting in 2008 and again in 2010, he led the Field Artillery introduction-into-service contingents to the United States to receive introduction into service training on the Battle Management System – Fires (Command and Control) (BMS-F(C2)) and M777A2 Howitzer systems.

Warrant Officer Sullivan was posted as the Regimental Sergeant Major 1st Regiment, RAA in January 2011. In 2012 he deployed to Afghanistan as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Artillery Training Advisory Team, mentoring the Command Sergeant Major of the Afghan National Army, School of Artillery. 

Warrant Officer Sullivan is married to Karen and they have three children Katelyn, Ronan and Lucy. He enjoys golf, military history and sea kayaking.