Air Vice Marshal B J Graf enlisted in the RAAF on 18 January 1954 as a cadet at the FAAF College [later renamed RAAF Academy] . He completed two years of the course and was then attached to the University of Sydney where he completed two degrees – a Batchelor of Science [BSc] and a Batchelor of Aeronautical Engineering [BE[Aero]], graduating in 1960. In December 1957 while attached to the University he graduated from RAAF College as a Pilot Officer and later in December 1958 he was promoted to Flying Officer.

During 1960 he completed a pilot’s course and was awarded his wings in December 1960. His first flying post was to Central Flying School where as a staff pilot he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant. Subsequent postings during 1962-64 included Maintenance Squadron east Sale and Aircraft Research and Development Unit [ARDU] both as a junior engineer. In 1965 he was posted to a Mirage squadron as the Unit Engineer Officer and in 1966 to flying duties as a fighter pilot [Sabre, Vampire aircraft]. Promotion to Squadron Leader followed in 1967.

Air Vice Marshal Graf then attended the Empire Test Pilots School in the UK in 1967 later graduating as a test pilot. Later he was employed at ARDU as a performance engineer and a test pilot. In 1970 he was promoted to Wing Commander. In 1971 he attended the RAAF Staff College and spent the next two years as the Commanding Officer of a Maintenance Squadron. In 1974 he was posted to be Senior Engineer Staff Officer at Headquarters Operational Command where he was promoted to Group Captain in 1975. In 1977 he was appointed to the post of Staff Officer Aircraft Engineering at Headquarters Support Command [HQSC]. In 1979 he was posted within the Command to be Staff Officer Repair and Overhaul.

In 1981 he was promoted to Air Commodore and posted to Air Force Office Canberra as Director General of Aircraft Engineering. Subsequent posts at one star level were Senior Logistics Engineer Officer and Controller of Logistics at HQSC. In 1985 Air Vice Marshal Graf attended the Royal College of Defence Studies [RCDS] in the UK and subsequently returned to Australia to Canberra to assume the post of Director General of Technical Plans in 1988. He was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal in 1989 and was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff –Engineering. Later that year he was posted to be the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Materiel. Air Vice Marshal Graf was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia [AO] in June 1990.

Air Vice Marshal Graf retired from the permanent Air Force in October 1993. He spent the next three years as the Victorian Chairman of the Defence Industry Study Course DISC] . He retired in 1999 as the National President of the Defence and Industry Courses Association [DAICA] and he remains a member of the federal council. He continues to operate a defence, engineering and aerospace consultancy business.