LTCOL Brooks commissioned into the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps after graduating from ADFA in 2004 and RMC-D in 2005.  Upon graduating as an Ammunition Technical Officer (ATO) in 2008, he fulfilled a variety of Joint and Army ammunition technical appointments including Officer Commanding, P&EE Graytown and the Principal Ammunition Technical Officer. His professional background has focussed on exploitation, static explosive, and small arms trials management.

In his spare time, Mat contributes to munitions PME through @shooting_holes. Mat is a graduate of CTMC and ACSC and is read into multiple degrees in Arts (Geography/IT), Science, Systems Engineering, Engineering Science and Defence and Strategic Studies. He is currently deployed in support of the war in Ukraine.