Symon advised the United Nations Special Representative in East Timor in the four months prior to the deployment of International Force for East Timor, known as INTERFET. This entailed close liaison with the Indonesian military, Falintil and militia leaders prior to, during, and after the vote for independence in 1999. For his leadership in East Timor and in command, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2000 Birthday Honours.